New Delhi, April 17
The CD controversy involving former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan, who co-chairs the Lokpal Bill Drafting Panel with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, today took a new turn with the former saying that the CD was doctored, and alleging a serious conspiracy to “not just malign the civil members of the panel but also influence the judicial process”.

Insinuating the role of former Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh and “other powerful people” in the alleged fabrication, Prashant Bhushan, member of the panel and son of Shanti Bhushan, today claimed the CD contained fabricated portions from a 2006 Amar Singh-Mulayam Singh conversation that was submitted to the SC. The SC has reserved its judgment in the case.

The Bhushans will file a contempt petition in the SC in this matter and a civil and criminal defamation suit against AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, who recently questioned the Bhushans’ conduct in a property matter. “That matter involves a settled house property. The timing of Digvijay’s allegations and the release of the CD is important. There is an attempt to discredit civil members of the panel and a more ominous one to derail the judicial process,” Prashant Bhushan said in a news conference today.

He claimed forensic evidence of doctoring (gaps in conversation, splicing of Shanti Bhushan’s voice and editing signatures) on at least five occasions in the new CD. Basing his claims on results of forensic examination by a US lab and Truth Lab in Hyderabad, Prashant Bhushan said: “Portions from Mulayam’s speech in the 2006 CD have been lifted and pasted in the new CD. There are gaps in the conversation suggesting it’s not a continuous conversation.”

Bhushan added that the conspirators were not only maligning his father, but also casting aspersions on the role of a judge, who is referred to in the new CD. “The CD contains conversation between my father and Mulayam Singh, whereby, it is suggested that my father can influence a certain judge. This judge is presiding over a Bench, which has reserved its judgment in the 2006 Amar Singh tapes case, and the 2G Spectrum case wherein we have sought the cancellation of telecom licences. Big people, including corporates, could be behind this conspiracy,” he said. The Delhi Police is investigating the matter under Section 469 of the IPC. Meanwhile, Bhushan today played portions of the 2006 CD (containing Amar-Mulayam conversation) and the latest CD (where Amar is talking to Mulayam and getting Shanti on line for Mulayam), to show similar portions of Mulayam’s speech in both the CDs. “My father says he has never met Amar Singh. Now if we prove it in court, it will be clear that Amar Singh has offered to be part of this ugly conspiracy,” Bhushan said.

Another civil society member of the panel Arvind Kejriwal today revealed he was getting feelers that soon his name would also figure in some controversy. “Attempts are even being made to pull out files against Anna Hazare. There is a parallel movement to dislodge our efforts,” he said.