04-08-2006, 04:51 AM
Natwar <!--emo&:devil--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/devilsmiley.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='devilsmiley.gif' /><!--endemo--> likely to get show cause notice
- NDTV Correspondent
Friday, April 7, 2006 (New Delhi):
Former foreign minister Natwar Singh who was forced to resign because of the Volcker controversy is now likely to get a show cause notice from the Enforcement Directorate.
There are reports that investigating agencies have key evidence against him.
Sources have told NDTV that the evidence against Natwar Singh includes three letters written by him to Iraq's former deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.
NDTV has not seen these letters yet, but their existence has been confirmed by top sources.
According to the sources, however, only two of these letters were actually delivered to Tariq Aziz who is currently an American prisoner at Guatanamo Bay in the United States.
Middleman's claim
The news of the third letter has emerged in the form of a claim by a mysterious middleman who has told investigating agencies that a third letter was written by Natwar Singh to Tariq Aziz, but was never delivered.
The middleman has informed investigating officers that the letter was apparently handed over in January 2001.
The letters reportedly make references to oil transactions and Andaleeb Sehgal.
Unconfirmed reports say that the letters were essentially written to introduce Andaleeb Sehgal to Iraq's political establishment so as to facilitate meetings to help with the eventual oil transaction.
The letters talk of historic ties between the Congress party and Saddam Hussein. They were written during the time Singh headed the Congress Foreign cell.
Questions will be now raised over whether Singh was speaking for himself or on behalf of the party. On her part, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, when going public on the Volcker report, had said she believed that Congress name had been misused.
Volcker findings
The Volcker report had named Natwar Singh and the Congress among what it called non-contractual beneficiaries of the oil for food programme that was run under deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
The accusation in the report was by a company called Hamadan Exports on behalf of both Natwar Singh and the Congress.
Hamadan Exports is owned and run by Andaleeb Sehgal, a friend and relative of Natwar Singh's son Jagat Singh.
Both father and son have refused to comment, saying they are answerable only to Justice Pathak, head of the commission looking into the scandal.
- NDTV Correspondent
Friday, April 7, 2006 (New Delhi):
Former foreign minister Natwar Singh who was forced to resign because of the Volcker controversy is now likely to get a show cause notice from the Enforcement Directorate.
There are reports that investigating agencies have key evidence against him.
Sources have told NDTV that the evidence against Natwar Singh includes three letters written by him to Iraq's former deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.
NDTV has not seen these letters yet, but their existence has been confirmed by top sources.
According to the sources, however, only two of these letters were actually delivered to Tariq Aziz who is currently an American prisoner at Guatanamo Bay in the United States.
Middleman's claim
The news of the third letter has emerged in the form of a claim by a mysterious middleman who has told investigating agencies that a third letter was written by Natwar Singh to Tariq Aziz, but was never delivered.
The middleman has informed investigating officers that the letter was apparently handed over in January 2001.
The letters reportedly make references to oil transactions and Andaleeb Sehgal.
Unconfirmed reports say that the letters were essentially written to introduce Andaleeb Sehgal to Iraq's political establishment so as to facilitate meetings to help with the eventual oil transaction.
The letters talk of historic ties between the Congress party and Saddam Hussein. They were written during the time Singh headed the Congress Foreign cell.
Questions will be now raised over whether Singh was speaking for himself or on behalf of the party. On her part, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, when going public on the Volcker report, had said she believed that Congress name had been misused.
Volcker findings
The Volcker report had named Natwar Singh and the Congress among what it called non-contractual beneficiaries of the oil for food programme that was run under deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
The accusation in the report was by a company called Hamadan Exports on behalf of both Natwar Singh and the Congress.
Hamadan Exports is owned and run by Andaleeb Sehgal, a friend and relative of Natwar Singh's son Jagat Singh.
Both father and son have refused to comment, saying they are answerable only to Justice Pathak, head of the commission looking into the scandal.