More scandal for India’s leaders as MP is arrested

A HIGH-PROFILE Indian MP was arrested and sent into judicial custody for 14 days yesterday, charged with involvement in a bribery scandal, potentially causing more embarrassment for the ruling Congress party shaken by a series of scandals.

Amar Singh, a former top leader of the Samajwadi party based in the key state of Uttar Pradesh, is accused of conspiring to bribe opposition MPs during a 2008 confidence vote on a civilian nuclear deal with the United States.

Police had earlier arrested a former aide to Amar Singh over allegations of attempting to bribe other MPs to vote for the nuclear deal.

Three members from the main opposition BJP also told a parliamentary inquiry that Amar Singh had offered them the bribes, after speaking to Ahmed Patel, the powerful political secretary to Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi.