New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Sunday issued show cause notice to five people, including former external affairs minister K. Natwar Singh, in connection with the Iraqi oil-for-food scam.

This is the second time the enforcement directorate has issued a notice to Natwar Singh. Earlier in February, ED sleuths questioned the former minister for two consecutive days.

Among the others issued notice are Andaleeb Sehgal, a close relative of Natwar Singh, Aditya Khanna, Zameer Zaidi, a former member of Rajasthan Youth Congress, and Vikas Dhar, Sehgal's associate.

The government had forwarded the Justice R.S. Inquiry Authority report to three central investigative agencies of economic offences - ED, Central Board of Direct Taxes and Central Board of Excise and Customs - Aug 7.

The E.D. said it was in touch with the officials who assisted the probe panel in its investigations on the Indian beneficiaries in the Iraqi scam.

"We are in touch with the members for details of the investigations," said a special director of ED.

In the 110-page report tabled in parliament Aug 7, the Pathak committee had given a clean chit to the Congress party, finding no evidence of its involvement in any transactions linked to the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein.

The panel, however, mentioned names of Sehgal, Sehgal Consultants, Khanna and Hamdaan Exports to have benefited from the oil-for-food deal and said Sehgal had received $68,293, while his business partner Khanna got $32,558.

In the action taken report, the government had asked the three investigating agencies to treat the Pathak report as information to take action that may be warranted under the law.