Dhankar says cash found from Congress MP Singhvi's Parliament seat
What's the story
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed the House on Friday that during a routine anti-sabotage inspection, a bundle of currency notes was found at seat number 222.
This seat is assigned to Congress MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
The matter has been referred for further investigation, he added.
Probe initiated
Dhankhar orders investigation into cash recovery incident
"I here by inform the members that during the routine anti-sabotage check...a wad of currency notes was recovered by the security officials from seat number 222...allotted to Abhishek Manu Singhvi, elected from the state of Telangana. The matter was brought to my notice, and I made sure an investigation takes place and the same is underway," Dhankhar said.
In response to the statement, Singhvi dismissed any connection to the incident, calling the situation "bizzare."
Further details are awaited.
Statement
What Singhvi said
Singhvi said, "I am quite astonished to even hear about it. I never heard of it. I reached the inside of the House yesterday at 12.57pm."
"The House rose at 1pm. From 1 to 1:30pm, I sat with Ayodhya Prasad in the canteen and had lunch. At 1:30 pm, I left Parliament. So my total stay in the House yesterday was 3 minutes, and my stay in the canteen was 30 minutes," the Congress MP added.
Debate
Dhankar's remark sparks debate
During a session in the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Dhankhar's announcement sparked a heated debate.
He noted that the wad appeared to contain 100 notes and clarified that it was unclear whether the currency was genuine or counterfeit.
He also humorously remarked on the state of the economy, questioning how such an amount could be left unclaimed.
Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Chairman for naming the member before the investigation was complete.
Counter
Rijiju supports Dhankar's action
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju supported Dhankhar's actions, arguing there was no issue in mentioning the seat or its occupant, especially given the seriousness of the matter.
He further stated that carrying bundles of cash into the House was inappropriate and called for a thorough investigation.
The incident led to uproar from both treasury and opposition benches, with Dhankhar defending his actions as minimal and necessary under the circumstances. The