India’s special envoy Virendra Dayal has received “key documents” that list former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh and the Congress as beneficiaries of kickback in the Iraq oil-for-food scandal.

Mr Dayal, whom Prime Minister Manmohan Singh entrusted with the task of investigating a report on corruption in the Iraqi humanitarian programme that named Mr Singh and the Congress, said he had “got all essential and key documents required for further investigation and to arrive at the truth.”

Speaking to reporters in New York on Wednesday he declined to comment on the content of the documents, saying it would “prejudice the outcome” of the investigation.

Mr Dayal, who arrived in New York amid a shroud of secrecy last week, was accompanied by his special assistant Mr Praveer Kumar, director of the Enforcement Directorate, Mr Sudhir Nath, and Supreme Court lawyer Murlidhar.

A former Under-Secretary-General in the United Nations, Mr Dayal met Mr Paul Volcker, who heads the Independent Inquiry Committee that unearthed irregularities in the humanitarian programme, on Friday. On Monday, he met United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He applauded the swiftest and most comprehensive response from the international community and the United Nations. According to Mr Dayal, Mr Annan had been unhesitating in his support and within moments his team was given possession of the documents it sought. The Volcker Committee had also ensured that the necessary waivers had been provided before the documents were handed over.

Many of these documents belong to the Iraqi Oil Ministry. However, they are not the only ones the Volcker Committee relied on while conducting its investigation. Documents were taken from “multiple sources, according to officials, including from banks, intermediaries and foreign governments.

Asked whether the documents he received would be adequate to reach a definite conclusion in the investigation, Mr Dayal said they would be a big help. He said he had received everything he needed for the time being. But if on further scrutiny, it was found that some other documents were required he would return to New York for them.

Dismissing concerns about the authenticity of the documents, Mr Dayal said he had received these straight from the Volcker Committee, which he implied guaranteed their authenticity. “What we need we have... there is no doubting the authenticity of the documents,” he said.

Mr Dayal said the investigation had made a “good start,” adding, “we got the key documents.” The purpose of his team’s visit to New York, he told reporters, had been met.

The Volcker Committee sent its investigators to some countries to follow up the allegations against officials and companies eventually named in its report. Indian officials said it was not clear if anyone travelled to India. “This is a definite gray area,” said a source.

Officials said Mr Dayal was firm India would not rely on other countries but conduct its own investigation into the report. He left for India on Wednesday night.

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice R.S. Pathak, who has also been appointed by the Prime Minister to investigate the charges against the former minister and the Congress, will now examine these documents before he comes to a conclusion on Natwar Singh’s guilt.

It is the job of the Enforcement Directorate and Justice Pathak to do the investigating, a source said, adding, Mr Dayal’s role was simply to procure the documents.