New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) Senior advocate and BJP Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani was the cause for embarrassment to the party Monday with his statement to court that the money in the attempt to bribe MPs during the 2008 parliament trust vote probably came from a BJP source. Though the BJP tried to pass it off as Jethmalani's remarks "as a lawyer", the Congress said an MP's remarks should be relied upon.


BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said Jethmalani had made the remarks as an advocate of the client (Amar Singh) he was representing.

"Remarks of a person as a lawyer are not remarks of the party," Javadekar told IANS.

He said a lawyer represents his client and puts forth arguments on his behalf.

Congress spokesman Raashid Alvi, however, said that Jethmalani was a BJP MP and his remarks should be relied upon.

"Where is the scope of doubt," Alvi asked.

He said BJP leader L.K. Advani has owned up the cash-for-votes sting operation in parliament.

Alvi rejected BJP's contention that Jethmalani was speaking in his capacity as a lawyer. "He is the same man. He can't be a different person inside the court and outside," he said.

Jethmalani, while arguing for bail for Amar Singh told the court Monday that the money in the attempt to bribe MPs ahead of the 2008 parliament trust vote did not come from his client, but "probably from a BJP source".

Jethmalani told Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal: "Recently leader of opposition L.K. Advani spoke in the Lok Sabha that this (television) sting was organised by BJP... So the money probably came from a BJP source. Singh did not provide the money...."