Amar saga: Lonely night in 10X15 Tihar cell

From being at the centerstage of country’s power politics to a lonely cell in Tihar Jail, Amar Singh’s worst fears seem to have come true. The former Samajwadi Party strongman and sitting Rajya Sabha MP, who was arrested yesterday in connection with the infamous cash-for-votes scam, spent a lonely and restless night in Tihar Jail.

Amar Singh has been lodged in a 10X15 feet cell in jail number three of the high security prison. He was allotted a cell close to the jail hospital in view of his health condition – he had undergone kidney transplant surgery last year.

Soon after he was brought in, jail doctors checked his sugar and blood pressure, while Singh informed the doctors about his health condition. He has been allowed to keep his medicines.

Interestingly, Amar Singh’s cell is adjacent to that of Afzal Guru, who has been sentenced to death in the Parliament attack case and is waiting for the President to decide on his mercy plea.

55-year-old Amar Singh, who has rubbed shoulders with India's top corporate honchos to Bollywood stars and was on the must invite list of A-list parties in his hey-days had to do with simple jail food, which he ate quietly. However in view of his renal condition, Singh was allowed to use mineral water brought from outside.

A 3X8 feet size raised platform is what is bed, with toilet being a few feet of space behind a curtain inside the cell. One blanket and mosquito net were the only comforts allowed, apart from the two books he brought with him.

As per jail authorities, Amar Singh had no special requests; he was seen engrossed in thought as read the books late into the night.

Amar Singh is the fifth sitting MP to be lodged in Tihar.

Two former MPs Fagan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Singh Bhagora have also been sent to judicial custody till Sep 19 in connection with the cash-for-votes scam.

The three have been booked under section 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (criminal conspiracy) and section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged involvement in the attempt to bribe MPs ahead of the July 2008 Parliament trust vote.

Sitting BJP MP Ashok Argal, who was also chargesheeted by the CBI, was not arrested. The police have sought permission from Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to arrest him.

Hazare effect: Non-UPA parties join ranks

Slamming the government over the arrest of Anna Hazare and his team, BJP-led NDA, Left and several other Opposition parties on Tuesday joined ranks and demanded a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on "violation of democratic rights". As Hazare was arrested and sent to Tihar Jail,
leaders of BJP, JD, Shiv Sena, CPI, CPI, Samajwadi Party, RJD and some other non-UPA parties held a meeting to discuss common strategy over the issue and came up with a vow to continue their agitation in Parliament against corruption.

"It has been decided that the Prime Minister should make a statement in both Houses of Parliament on whatever is happening in the country. Nobody else," Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said.

She said the demand for the Prime Minister's statement will be made tomorrow and it will determine Parliament's functioning.

Contending that action against Hazare reflected the government's "nervousness", she said the Opposition unity was not on jan lokpal bill but "violation of democratic rights".

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley alleged the government was "trying to snatch people's right to protest" and said "the political leadership is trying to hide behind uniform".

Amid indications that Parliament would not be allowed to function, Jaitley said the impeachment proceedings against Calcutta high court judge Soumitra Sen on Wednesday will take place as per schedule at 3pm.

Slamming the government, CPI said it has "attacked the democratic right to conduct peaceful protest" and asked its party units to conduct peaceful agitation against it

Amar Singh faces police for Cash-for-Votes

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh on today arrived at the crime branch office of Delhi Police to face questioning on the Cash-for-Vote scam.
The senior leader, who says he is not anymore in active politics, faced the police a day after a Delhi court remanded his alleged former associate Sanjeev Saxena and Suhail Hindustani, a former BJP worker, to police custody till today in the cash-for-vote scam.

Hindustani was arrested Wednesday night after Delhi Police interrogated him for hours. Saxena was arrested in July 16 and sent to a three-day custody, which ended on Thursday. His custody was then extended.

Hindustani told reporters before facing the police, "I received calls from Amar Singh and Ahmed Patel. Those close to Prime Minister called me and even from 10-Janpath". He said Amar Singh told him that he was working on Manmohan Singh and Patel’s directions.


The Delhi Police earlier obtained permission from the Home Ministry to question Amar Singh over the controversial cash-for-votes scam.

Saxena has allegedly told Delhi Police that he was given large amount of money by Singh to offer them to the Bharatiya Janata Party MPs to give support to the UPA government during the trust vote in 2008.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier this year said that his government or party never indulged in any activity to buy lawmakers to win a trust vote in 2008.

The investigation into the case was speeded up after the Supreme Court last week slammed Delhi Police for their callous approach in the case.