Top India politicians face arrest for bribery
February 29, 1996
Web posted at: 3:15 p.m. EST (2015 GMT)NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation issued arrest warrants Thursday for 10 prominent politicians accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes.
The arrest warrants are just the latest in an ongoing corruption scandal that has implicated figures in ruling and opposition political camps.
The newly convened parliament session has been disrupted by the scandal, and upcoming elections may be affected, with some of the front-runners of major parties facing legal action.
L.K. Advani, leader of the main opposition party, is among those on the warrant list, along with three former cabinet ministers. Breakaway Congress party leader Arjun Singh is also cited.
A CBI spokesman said the warrants notify the people charged to appear at a special sessions court March 11. The court will then decide whether to grant bail or jail the men, who are accused of accepting bribes in return for favors.
Bribes of about $18 million dollars were allegedly offered to influential people by S.K. Jain, thought to be kingpin of a black market foreign exchange racket.
Opposition leaders have charged Prime Minister Narasimha Rao of using the CBI for political ends. The CBI is under the control of the prime minister, who was accused by one opposition leader of accepting bribes, also.
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