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Suhail Hindustani, arrested for his alleged involvement in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam, on Tuesday sought bail from a Delhi court claiming he was merely trying to expose the "horse trading" going on before the voting on Congress-led United Progressive Alliance-I government's trust motion.
Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal reserved the order on Hindustani's bail plea for September 29 after hearing the arguments on it both by the prosecution and the defence.
Advocate Anand, appearing for Hindustani, submitted his client was determined to expose the "horse trading", which was going on in the run up to the confidence motion in July 2008, to save the country from corruption.
Hidustani, who was arrested on July 20, said it was co-accused and senior BJP leader L K Advani's former close aide Sudheendra Kulkarni and the three Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahabir Singh Bhagora who contacted a private news channel to expose the corruption.
He said the prosecution's allegation that Hindustani was carrying a list of MPs to be bribed was totally baseless as there is no evidence on record to prove it.
"The knowledge was that I have to help these three MPs and the private media channel to expose horse-trading. It cannot be alleged that I had the knowledge of money being given for bribe," he said.
He said the charge sheet has been filed after completion of the probe in the case and there is no possibility that his client could tamper with evidence, influence witnesses or abscond, if released on bail.
Public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan, however, vehemently opposed his bail plea saying Hindustani was the initiator of the whole conspiracy and was having a list of MPs who could have been approached for their votes.
"He had a list of vulnerable MPs. Before this, there was no question of a sting operation when Hindustani first had the list of BJP MPs. The case initiation happened with him. He is a gem seller and had no involvement in politics. How can someone like him try to influence the voting in a democracy?" the prosecutor said.
The court had on Monday extended the interim bail of Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, an accused in the case, till September 27.