Case registered in cash-for-query scam

NEW DELHI: Almost 18 months after the sensational cash-for-query scam came to light, the Delhi Police have registered the first FIR in the case against a former MP's aide and a journalist.
    
The FIR named Harish Badola, the secretary of expelled MP Chattrapal Singh Lodha, a reporter of Cobrapost.com and news channel Aaj Tak, which aired the sting operation conducted by the website, police sources said.
    
The sting had showed 11 MPs allegedly accepting money to raise questions in Parliament. The lawmakers were expelled later after the Parliamentary Committee on ethics found them guilty of corruption.
    
The FIR, registered at Parliament Street police station, said that Badola arranged the meetings between Cobrapost's representative and Lodha and he had accepted money from the reporter on behalf of the MP, they said.
    
The reporter had posed as a representative of North India Small Manufacturers Association and had allegedly given money to lawmakers to raise questions in the sting, which created a furore and raised questions over the conduct of MPs.
    
Police have registered the FIR against the reporter and Badola under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and 120(b) (Criminal Conspiracy) of the IPC for giving and receiving bribe.
    
The news channel and the website are also charged with acting in contravention of Rajya Sabha rules and procedures regarding breach of code of conduct by an MP in the case which is being investigated by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police, the sources added.