Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday cautioned all members not to use the excuse of ongoing Parliament session to avoid deposing in front of investigating agencies. He did not name any one specifically, but his comments come in the backdrop of summons recently issued by the Enforcement Directorate to Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra in connection with the Yes Bank case.
“I would like to mention that no member of the House should avoid appearing before any investigating agency, when she or he is called upon to do, by citing the reason of the House duty,” Mr. Naidu said in the Rajya Sabha in a suo motu statement. He said that as lawmakers, it was our bounden duty to respect the law and legal procedures. “It applies to all, in all cases, because you can only inform that the House is in session, seeking further date, but you cannot avoid the enforcement agencies or the law enforcing agencies’ summons or notices,” he added.
Congress MPs cheered his statement with many thanking him for making the position clear.
Mr. Chandra on Monday tweeted, “I have been requested by ED to make a statement on the information which is already available with them. I will be more than happy to be personally present at their office, honouring their request, in order to extend all the required co-operation.” He further added that the Essel Group which he heads has never made any transactions with Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor or his family or for that matter any private entities controlled by them. He was to appear before the ED to record his statement on Wednesday, but he did not appear citing the ongoing Parliament session.
