Rajya Sabha Chairman Orders Probe After Currency Notes Found on Abhishek Singhvi’s Seat

Rajya Sabha Chairman Orders Probe: The Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar, announced in the House on Friday that in a usual anti-sabotage check, a bundle of notes hidden under seat number 222, occupied by Congress MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, was found. The matter has been taken up for further investigation, he said. Responding to the statement, Abhishek Manu Singhvi denied involvement, calling it "bizarre".

“I here by inform the members that during the routine anti-sabotage check of the chamber after the adjournment of the House yesterday. Apparently, a wad of currency notes was recovered by the security officials from seat number 222 which is presently 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,” Jagdeep Dhankhar said.

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Speaking to reporters, Abhishek Manu Singhvi gave a glimpse of his brief presence in Parliament yesterday.

“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 said.

“I find it bizarre that politics is raised even on such issues. Of course, there must be an inquiry as to how people can come and put anything anywhere in any seat. It means that each of us must have a seat where the seat itself can be locked and the key can be carried home by the MP because everybody can then do things on the seat and make allegations about this. If it was not tragic and serious it would be comical. I think everybody should cooperate in getting to the bottom of this, and if there is a failing in the security agencies that must also be completely exposed,” Abhishek Singhvi added.

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Jagdeep Dhankhar's charge ignited an uproar from the opposition benches, with Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge demanding the Chair to not denounce the member before the completion of investigation.

The wad consists of currency notes of ₹500 denomination, and appears to have 100 notes, said the Chairman.

Jagdeep Dhankhar also said it is not possible to ascertain whether the currency notes are real or fake.

"It was my duty and I'm obliged to inform the House. This is a routine anti-sabotage check which takes place," he said.

Dhankhar added that he was expecting someone to come forward to claim the currency, but so far no one had come forward, “Does it reflect the state of the economy that people can afford to forget it,” he said.

Uproar was seen on this issue from both treasury and opposition benches.

"Why should there be an objection to the name being taken? The Chairman has pointed out seat number and member who occupies that, what is the problem with that," Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said. He said that hulling bundles of notes is not good in the House and that he supports serious investigation.

'Minimal' was the term used by Dhankhar to describe the action taken by him.

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