Thursday, December 15 2005 11:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: All the 10 Lok Sabha MPs caught on camera in the "cash for query" scam have outrightly rejected the allegations of their having taken money from the undercover journalists and alleged they have been framed under a conspiracy.

Almost all the MPs, including five from BJP, have claimed in "almost similar" replies to the Lok Sabha Committee probing the scam that the video tapes have been "doctored as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy", sources said.

Many of the MPs have also claimed they were made to believe that the undercover journalists represented genuine Associations and organisations and as people's representatives, they had to entertain them, they said.

The Lok Sabha committee, probing the expose, is expected to take a decision today on the action to be taken against the MPs pending a full inquiry.

Amid strong indications that the members could be suspended pending completion of the probe, Committee members said they were not in a haste to seal the fate of the MPs.

Unlike the Rajya Sabha where BJP MP Chhatrapal Singh was suspended immediately, the Lower House panel wanted to give full opportunity to the accused members to explain their position in accordance with the principles of natural justice, the sources said.

Asked whether it was a fact that the ten members pleaded they were not guilty, Inquiry Committee Chairman Pawan Kumar Bansal said it would not be proper to divulge the contents as the inquiry was on.

The committee was constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee a day after the scam broke out.

Five BJP MPs, three from BSP and one each from Congress and RJD were served showcause notices to reply by yesterday after they were shown accepting money for raising questions in the House in the sensational sting operation on Monday.

Those caught on camera were Lok Sabha members Y G Mahajan, Anna Patil, Suresh Chandel, Pradeep Gandhi and Chandra Pratap Singh (all BJP), Narendra Kumar Kushwaha, Raja Ram Pal and Lal Chandra Kol (all BSP), Manoj Kumar (RJD) and Ramsewak Singh (Congress).

Three of the BJP MPs - Annasaheb M K Patil, Y G Mahajan and Suresh Chandel - have submitted their replies to the Internal Inquiry Committee set up by the party also to decide whether they should be suspended from primary membership of the party.

The Committee, headed by party Vice-President Bal Apte, would meet either today or on Friday to study the response of the MPs.

A meeting of BJP General Secretaries, chaired by party President L K Advani, is also understood to have discussed the "cash for query" scam. But it was officially maintained only the upcoming National convention in Mumbai was on the agenda of the meeting.