Thursday, December 8 2005 17:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Congress leadership was not aware of the presence of Jagat Singh and his cousin Andaleeb Sehgal in Baghdad when a four-member party delegation led by K Natwar Singh visited Iraq in January 2001 and the news was received with 'indignation' when it came to light, Aniel Matherani, a member of the group, claimed here today (Dec 08, 2005).

"There was a sense of disbelief in the party when the Volcker controversy broke out in October-November," said Matherani whose reported claim that Natwar Singh did receive oil vouchers from the Saddam Hussein regime led to his resignation following a political storm.

The fact that Jagat Singh, Natwar Singh's son and Sehgal were present in Baghdad at the same time as the visiting Congress delegation was not known the Congress leadership, he said.

"Clearly it was not known to the party leadership before and was treated with a great sense of surprise and indignation," Matherani, a former Secretary of the Congress Affairs Cell and a close aide of Natwar Singh, told sources at his residence here.

Matherani, till recently India's Ambassador to Croatia, said he was called by the Congress leadership after the Volcker findings were made public in October-November and asked for a clarification as he was the only member of the delegation to be present in Delhi.

"There was a sense of disbelief in the party," he said adding that he informed the Congress leadership about the itinerary and the meetings that took place during the delegation's visit to Iraq.