Tuesday, August 2 2005 18:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Government today (August 2, 2005) said it has promptly sent to CBI the papers it received from Andhra Pradesh for inquiring into the controversial Volkswagen deal to set up a car manufacturing factory in Visakhapatnam.

"The papers sent by Andhra Pradesh government were received by the Department of Personnel on July 22 which were sent to CBI on July 25," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Suresh Pachouri said in Rajya Sabha.

Pachouri was responding to queries from TDP (Telugu Desam Party) members led by Ravula Chandra Sekar Reddy on whether the Centre has referred the matter to CBI, which was protested by Congress members.

Pachouri said in those papers Chief Minister Y S Rajashekhar Reddy has said the project was originally conceived in 2002 when TDP was in power.

Dissatisfied with the response of the government, the TDP members staged a walkout.