The row over a multi-million guilder deal agreed between a senior justice ministry official and a drugs baron spilled into parliament on Wednesday evening, following revelations that the parliamentary chairwoman had an anonymous letter about the deal shredded.

Oppostion MPs now want to question Anouchka van Miltenburg about the deal, following the publication of a damning report on the scandal on Wednesday. Both Van Miltenburg and the former minister at the centre of the deal – Fred Teeven – are members of the ruling VVD.

The letter, from someone who worked at the justice ministry, gave details about the 4.7 million guilder payment agreed between Teeven and drugs baron Cees H in 2000. As part of the deal, Teeven agreed to return the money to H in return for a fine of 750,000 guilders.

In the letter, the tipster said justice minister Ivo Opstelten had wrongly informed parliament about the deal by saying there were no receipts or other evidence about it. Both Teeven and Opstelten resigned this March.

At the time, Van Miltenburg’s staff shredded the letter. When confronted about it later, and given a copy by reporters, she said this was normal practice with anonymous letters. Van Miltenburg continued to ignore the letter and told staff the matter was a ‘storm in a teacup’.