BJP activist Sohail Hindustani, an accused in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam, today claimed before a Delhi court that police were hesitant to name the real beneficiaries in the case and that he was picked up at the behest of a "third party".
"Police are hesitant in mentioning who is the real beneficiary. The ruling party and the MPs who cross-voted are the real beneficiaries. I was picked up as an accused at the behest of a third party even as the ruling party is the real beneficiary," Hindustani's counsel Anurag Dubey told Special Judge Narottam Kaushal.
The counsel also said he was approached by the news channel for the sting to expose corruption and that there was no motive to pocket illegal gratification.
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"The MPs who cross-voted during the trust vote were the real beneficiaries but till date police have not been able to trace the source of money, despite the directions of the Supreme Court and this court," the counsel said while advancing argument on charge.
He also said that even from the statement of witnesses recorded by the probe agency, no case is made out against him.
The court was hearing the arguments on framing of charges in the cash for vote scam of 2008 to bribe the MPs ahead of the trust vote in which former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, Sudheendra Kulkarni, BJP leader L K Advani's former aide, BJP MPs Ashok Argal and Faggan Singh Kulaste and former MP Mahabir Singh Bhagora Sanjeev Saxena, Amar Singh's former aide are also accused.
Kulaste and Bhagora have already completed their arguments on framing of charges.