Randeep Surjewala, who was chief of Indian Youth Congress when Union Minister Natwar Singh visited Iraq in 2001, said on Sunday that the organisation did not send any official delegation to Iraq and that Natwar's son Jagat Singh could have gone there in his individual capacity.

"The Youth Congress has never sent any delegation to Iraq. Of course, Jagat was my general secretary. Natwar Singhji was in-charge of the Foreign Affairs cell and Jagat Singh could have gone anywhere in his individual capacity," Surjewala told a television channel.

Asked whether Jagat would have had to inform IYC's office bearers about his journey, he said, "Any individual is free to go anywhere in his individual capacity. I can only speak on behalf of the IYC as it was then and we had sent no official delegation".

Surjewala, now a minister in the Haryana government, said Jagat Singh's statement that he had gone to Iraq in his individual capacity 'settled the matter'.

"I feel that after Jagat Singh's statement saying that he had gone in his individual capacity, his father had paid for his tickets and he had gone to look after his ailing father, the matter is settled," Surjewala said. "Shiv Shankar, another member of the delegation has clarified the whole issue."

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