Saturday, November 5 2005 20:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: India is in touch with the Volcker Committee to find out 'facts' about the commercial and non-commercial entities mentioned as 'beneficiaries' in the controversial report alleging payoffs in the Iraqi oil deals.

"We are in touch with the Volcker Committee and the UN Secretariat to find out facts about the (Indian) commercial and non-commercial entities in the report," Indian Ambassador to the UN, Nirupam Sen said here today (Nov 5, 2005).

Earlier, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh said in Delhi that Sen had been asked to meet UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Paul Volcker, the author of the report naming Singh and Congress party as 'non-contractual' beneficiaries of the programme, an issue which has kicked up a political storm in India.

An official of the mission said that the Volcker Committee has not sought its assistance in seeking response from Natwar Singh and the Congress party on the allegations levelled against them in the report.

"I am absolutely positive that the request of seeking response of Singh and Congress was not channelled through the mission," he said.

The official, however, said that the panel had sought the Mission's help in geeting information about Indian entities mentioned in the report as being 'beneficiaries' in the programme. There are about 135 Indian entities mentioned in the report.