Plea for probe into Congress, Reliance role in Iraqi oil scam

The Delhi High Court today heard a petition filed by a journalist seeking extension of the purview of the Justice Pathak Committee to investigate the alleged involvement of the Congress party and Reliance Industries in lifting oil under the UN's oil-for-food programme.

While adjourning the matter till January 23, a division Bench of Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rekha Sharma asked the petitioner to file an affidavit stating Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh's reply in the Rajya Sabha to a question by a member of Parliament, S Ambalan, on the panel constituted to probe the involvement of former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh in the case.

The court also asked the petitioner to approach the President, the prime minister and the Lok Sabha Speaker to seek a thorough investigation into the matter.

The petition, filed by journalist Sunil Tripathi through counsel Arvind Singh, also sought registration of an FIR against the Congress and Reliance.