Sunday, November 6 2005 17:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Nov 6, 2005) demanded a CBI probe into allegations of Iraqi oil pay-offs to the Congress party and External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh among others saying the offence came under the purview of laws regulating Foreign contributions and exchange.

"The facts stated in the (UN-sponsored Paul) Volcker report constitute sufficient material to merit registration of a criminal case by CBI. Under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) ACT 1976, No person can accept a foreign contribution or agree to acquire any currency from a foreign source on behalf of any political party," party General Secretary Arun Jaitely said at a press conference here.

He also reiterated the demand for resignation of Natwar Singh, named among non-contractual beneficiaries of pay-offs in Iraq's oil-for-food programme saying his continuation has not only become 'morally unacceptable but he has become some what disoriented also.'