New Delhi: A high-level investigation has been ordered after ₹50,000 in ₹500 notes were found on the Rajya Sabha seat of Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi. The investigation will be led by a committee with members from security agencies, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, and senior MPs.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar informed the MPs this morning that the cash was discovered after the House was adjourned on Thursday. It was found during a regular anti-sabotage check, a routine procedure carried out by security officials. Mr. Singhvi has denied any involvement, stating that he was unaware of the incident and the cash was not his.
Security officials conduct these checks after every parliamentary session to ensure no items are left behind. Found items are then sent to the 'lost and found' counter at the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. After the discovery, Mr. Dhankhar confirmed the incident, saying the cash was found on seat number 222, which is currently allotted to Singhvi.
Following the announcement, there was a lot of discussion in the House, with MPs from both the ruling party and opposition raising questions. Mr. Singhvi later clarified that he only spent about three minutes in the House that day and then went to the canteen. "I heard about this for the first time today. I only carry one ₹500 note to Parliament. I was in the House for a very short time and then left," he posted on social media, expressing surprise that something could be left behind on a seat.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was once in Congress, supported the call for an investigation. She said, "The opposition is demanding a probe. CCTV footage from Parliament should be used to investigate this. If it’s cash today, it could be something else tomorrow, used to target opposition voices."
The investigation is ongoing, and CCTV footage is being reviewed to figure out how the money ended up on Singhvi's seat.