Currency notes found in seat of Telangana MP in Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar initiates probe

"I hereby 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."

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said that currency notes were recovered from the seat occupied by Congress member Abhishek Manu Singhvi and a probe was underway.

“I hereby 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..”

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He said the matter was brought to his notice, and he ordered a probe immediately. “I made sure an investigation takes place and the same is underway,” Dhankhar said.

The currency notes were found during the checking from MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s seat in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

After this revelation, chaos erupted in the Upper House with the BJP members pointing fingers at the Congress leaders. Union Minister J.P. Nadda said, “This incident is of a serious nature. It hurts the dignity of the House… I have faith in your ruling that a detailed investigation will be conducted….”

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “…As per the routine protocol, the anti-sabotage team checked the seats just to wind up the proceedings and the House. During that procedure, the note was found and the seat numbers were deciphered and the members also signed that day. I don’t understand why there should be an objection that the Chair should not take the name of the member.”

As the opposition created din in the House over the mentioning of the MP’s name, Rijiju continued that the Chairman had rightly pointed out the seat number and the member who occupies that seat number.

“What is wrong with that? Why there should be an objection?… Don’t you think that while we are going towards digital India, carrying a bundle of notes in the House is appropriate? We don’t carry note bundles in the House. I fully agree with the observation of the Chairman that there must be a serious investigation and the concerns raised by the members are also very genuine.”

The Opposition, however, said this was a conspiracy by the BJP.

Reacting to this, Singhvi took to social media platform X and said, “Never heard of it till now. I carry one Rs 500 note when I go to Rajya Sabha. I heard about this for the first time. I reached the House at 12:57 PM and the house rose at 1 PM, then I sat in the canteen till 1:30 PM and then I left the parliament”.