08-10-2006, 01:18 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Pathak ignored own finding in giving clean chit to Mathrani </b>
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
In a hurry to indict former external affairs minister Natwar Singh and exonerate the Congress, Justice RS Pathak Authority report conveniently overlooked its own findings on the involvement of another Congress functionary Aneil Mathrani. The report noted that Mathrani was present when the Iraqi Oil Ministry discussed the contracts, but failed to explain his role in the scam.
From the deposition of Indian Ambassador to Iraq, R Dayakar, the commission noted that Mathrani, Jagat Singh and Andaleeb Sehgal were explained the payment of surcharge when they visited the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO).
"It is reasonable to infer that there was some talk about the allocation of oil since on January 23, 2001, Jagat Singh and Sehgal along with Mathrani went to the office of SOMO where they were explained about how the Iraqi officials in the Ministry of Oil went about allocating oil to companies under the oil-for-food programme," the report noted.Â
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Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
In a hurry to indict former external affairs minister Natwar Singh and exonerate the Congress, Justice RS Pathak Authority report conveniently overlooked its own findings on the involvement of another Congress functionary Aneil Mathrani. The report noted that Mathrani was present when the Iraqi Oil Ministry discussed the contracts, but failed to explain his role in the scam.
From the deposition of Indian Ambassador to Iraq, R Dayakar, the commission noted that Mathrani, Jagat Singh and Andaleeb Sehgal were explained the payment of surcharge when they visited the Iraqi State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO).
"It is reasonable to infer that there was some talk about the allocation of oil since on January 23, 2001, Jagat Singh and Sehgal along with Mathrani went to the office of SOMO where they were explained about how the Iraqi officials in the Ministry of Oil went about allocating oil to companies under the oil-for-food programme," the report noted.Â
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