Cash-for-vote scam: Hindustani, Saxena calls probe 'eyewash'

COURT-LD CASHSCAM
 Cash-for-vote scam: Hindustani, Saxena calls probe 'eyewash'
   New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Suhail Hindustani and Sanjeev
 Saxena, arrested in the cash-for-vote scam, on Friday alleged
 in a court here that the probe against them was an "eyewash"
 as the Delhi Police, which ruled out the role of Samajwadi
 Party, was questioning its former leader Amar Singh.
   The duo, remanded to 14-days judicial custody by
 Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, also termed the probe as
 "malicious" and said the Delhi Police, which yesterday gave
 clean chit to Congress Party and SP, was today examining Singh
 who was associated with the latter.
   "They (police) are saying their investigation is going
 on and today they are questioning Amar Singh. But yesterday
 they have themselves given clean chit to the Congress and the
 Samajwadi Party. It is only an eyewash. As they are saying
 that, they are also questioning Amar Singh today,"
 Hindustani's counsel Anand said.
   He also alleged that police have flouted the court's
 order regarding presence of defence counsel at the time of the
 interrogation of the accused in their custody as he was not
 told about it at all.
   "Just now, he (crime branch official) said that both
 the accused were interrogated. Why were the defence counsel
 not informed about it despite the court's order?" he asked.
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   At the outset when the two accused were produced, the
 judge wanted to know from the police about the outcome of the
 their custodial interrogation.
   "What has been done since yesterday, show me," the
 judge asked the police.
   Responding to the court's query, the police said they
 have been interrogated "at length" and the probe was going on
 in a fair manner.
   Hindustani and Saxena, arrested for their alleged role
 in the scam, were interrogated by the Joint Commissioner and
 other officials and they were confronted with each other and
 an IAS officer S P Gupta, who is one of the witnesses in the
 case, the crime branch of the Delhi police said.
   The judge asked the police why they have not secured
 the presence of defence counsel during interrogation of the
 accused as ordered by the court.
   The police countered the allegations of the defence
 counsel by reiterating their stand that they are doing fair
 probe in the case.
   The defence counsel also contended that the police is
 doing nothing in the case and their probe is malicious.
   Delhi police had on Thursday alleged that Hindustani
 was the "master orchestra" of conspiracy to bribe BJP MPs to
 vote in favour of Manmohan Singh government in a trust vote in
 2008. PTI VMN
 RCJ