The Hindu Business Line : Natwar Singh was in the know, says envoy

`The Enforcement Directorate has assured the Government that investigations are proceeding on the right track and they would be able to establish the facts expeditiously.'

The Union Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, with the Minister for Science and Technology, Mr Kapil Sibal, addressing the media on Volcker report at Parliament House on Friday.

New Delhi , Dec. 2

THE Volcker report that had pointed fingers at the Congress Party and the Cabinet Minister, Mr K.Natwar Singh, for their alleged involvement as non-contractual beneficiaries in the Iraqi oil-for-food deals came back to haunt the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government once again on Friday.

In an interview to a TV news channel and a news magazine owned by the same group, India's Ambassador to Croatia, Mr Aniel Mathrani, alleged that Mr Natwar Singh, was aware of the involvement of his son, Mr Jagat Singh, and his close friend, Mr Andaleeb Sehgal, in the scam and may have acquiesced in their act. Incidentally, Mr Mathrani was a close aide of Mr Natwar Singh in the Congress party's foreign affairs cell when it was in the Opposition. Mr Mathrani also alleged that Mr Jagat Singh and Mr Sehgal were present in Iraq when Mr Natwar Singh led a Congress party delegation there and the two were subsequently made a part of the party delegation.

These revelations rocked both Houses of Parliament with the Opposition forcing several adjournments, compelling the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to clarify the Government's stand on the entire issue. The principal Opposition, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded the removal of Mr Natwar Singh from the Union Cabinet and also his arrest. The BJP later scaled up its demand to ask for the resignation of the Congress President and UPA Chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi.

Stating that the allegations by Mr Mathrani were "a matter of concern" for the Government, the Prime Minister said that the Government was determined to dig out the truth in the entire scam. "We had said that we are determined to go to the root of the matter and establish the truth or otherwise of these references. We stand by that position even now," he said in statement read out in both Houses.

The Prime Minister assured that all those found guilty by the Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority would be punished. "For us in the Government truth is of utmost importance. We are determined that truth must prevail in this matter. Our Government believes in maintaining high standards of probity and transparency in public life and I can assure the House that no one who is guilty will go unpunished," he said.

The Enforcement Directorate that is already probing the matter would take cognizance of the recent statements attributed to the Indian Ambassador to Croatia. "The Enforcement Directorate has assured the Government that their investigations are proceeding on the right track and they would be able to establish the facts expeditiously. We should not pre-judge the final outcome of the investigation or pre-empt the findings that may be given by the Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority," he said.

Later during the day, Mr Natwar Singh also stepped in to defend himself and said that allegations made by Mr Mathrani were "totally false and malicious". He said that he was contemplating legal action against Mr Mathrani. "My conscience is clear. I am ready to face any inquiry so that my name is cleared," Mr Natwar Singh, a Cabinet Minister without portfolio said. He also questioned the timing of the revelations, saying "why now? Mr Mathrani was in Delhi last month when the whole controversy broke out. If he was so concerned about the matter, why did he not go public then?''

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