12-09-2005, 10:12 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Volcker pay-offs: Govt rules out JPC probe </b>
Pioneer.com
Agencies / New Delhi
Government on Friday ruled out a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Volcker findings on pay-offs in Iraqi oil deals saying the Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority had already started its work and its scope was "very wide".
<b>"I do not see that any purpose will be served by a JPC" at this stage, Leader of the House and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee responded after BJP Deputy Leader V K Malhotra raised the issue in Lok Sabha.</b>
Mukherjee said the Opposition first asked for a CBI probe, then demanded that an FIR be filed and "now, suddenly they want a JPC".
Emphasising that all "new factors" relating to the Volcker issue would be sent to the Inquiry Authority, he said "to suggest a completely new mechanism is not acceptable".
<b>Dissatisfied over Mukherjee's response, the Opposition staged a walkout.</b>
In Rajya Sabha, the issue was raised by Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh who said government should not fight shy of appointing a JPC to go into the issue and it should not have any apprehension.
<b>Responding to Jaswant Singh's demand, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri said there was a three-pronged strategy to inquire into the Volcker findings and added there was no justification for JPC at this stage.</b>
He said besides Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority, Virendra Dayal had been entrusted with the task of collecting material from the UN and Volcker.
The Enforcement Directorate was also looking into the violation under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, he said.
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Pioneer.com
Agencies / New Delhi
Government on Friday ruled out a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Volcker findings on pay-offs in Iraqi oil deals saying the Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority had already started its work and its scope was "very wide".
<b>"I do not see that any purpose will be served by a JPC" at this stage, Leader of the House and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee responded after BJP Deputy Leader V K Malhotra raised the issue in Lok Sabha.</b>
Mukherjee said the Opposition first asked for a CBI probe, then demanded that an FIR be filed and "now, suddenly they want a JPC".
Emphasising that all "new factors" relating to the Volcker issue would be sent to the Inquiry Authority, he said "to suggest a completely new mechanism is not acceptable".
<b>Dissatisfied over Mukherjee's response, the Opposition staged a walkout.</b>
In Rajya Sabha, the issue was raised by Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh who said government should not fight shy of appointing a JPC to go into the issue and it should not have any apprehension.
<b>Responding to Jaswant Singh's demand, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri said there was a three-pronged strategy to inquire into the Volcker findings and added there was no justification for JPC at this stage.</b>
He said besides Justice R S Pathak Inquiry Authority, Virendra Dayal had been entrusted with the task of collecting material from the UN and Volcker.
The Enforcement Directorate was also looking into the violation under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, he said.
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