When asked by CNN-IBN whether Saxena brought the money on his behalf, Amar Singh said his name was not mentioned directly.

The BJP had accused the news channel of backing out from its promise that it would air the tapes while CNN-IBN had said that the story was not complete and timing of the story could not be decided by political parties. Its editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai today deposed before the special Lok Sabha committee headed by V Kishore Chandra Deo.

When contacted, Reoti Raman Singh said his stand was vindicated and the tape showed that he did not talk about money or cross-voting. “In fact, Ashok Argal, the BJP MP, wanted to bargain with me regarding joining the Samajwadi Party. I openly said that I knew nothing when Ashok asked about the money,” he said.

“I even did not call Amar Singh for the purpose as was claimed by the BJP MPs¿ Meeting any Member of Parliament, even from an Opposition party, is not restricted by any court of law,” said Singh.

He, however, accepted that he met Ashok Argal and discussed his joining the Samajwadi Party. He said he would prove his innocence before the Parliamentary panel on August 18.

BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the complaint of the three BJP MPs to the Speaker stood “authenticated by the telecast of the tapes.” He said: “This conclusively shows that the Dr Manmohan Singh Government procured its majority on July 22 through corrupt and dubious means. It also showed that Amar Singh was playing an important role in Operation Procurement of MPs and that Sanjeev Saxena paid money at the behest of Amar Singh.”