Govt considering JPC probe into IPL controversy

Mukherjee,who is also the Leader of the Lok Sabha,said the government will have to ponder over it.

“I will communicate your sentiments to the Prime Minister. As and when the government takes a decision,we will come to Parliament. Let us wait for some time,” he added.

Not satisfied with his assurance,the Opposition members continued to press for immediate acceptance of their demand and in the din,Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the House till 12 noon.

Mukherjee said when the issue was raised earlier by the opposition,he had informed the House that the concerned department had already started investigation and was asked to carry on with their raids.

He said the notice from some of the opposition members for suspension of the Question Hour was given to the Speaker and that he only received information about it.

Earlier,Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj raised the IPL controversy to demand a JPC probe,saying the issue was getting “more serious day by day.”

Swaraj said allegations were flying thick and fast that two senior ministers in the government had a role to play in the controversy.

She said now reports had come out that the ministers had indulged in “gross misuse of power” including diversion of a civilian aircraft for the IPL players.

The BJP leader was referring to media reports today that an Air India flight from Delhi to Coimbatore had been diverted to ferry the cricketers from Chandigarh to Chennai,leaving the airline passengers to take a flight much later.

“The whole issue (of IPL) should be probed. The Leader of the House had said they are ready to probe. We feel investigating agencies will not be able to bring the truth to the fore. From day one of the episode,we have demanded that

JPC be constituted to look into this,” Swaraj said.