Whether there in fact were any secret plans was questioned even at that point and since Saiko and Narichika readily attended to Kiyomori's call, there is a possibility that it was a plot by the Taira clan (Kiyomori) to destroy close aides of the cloistered government or evade confrontation with the Sanmon.
謀議が事実であったかどうかは当時でも疑問視する向きが多く、西光と成親が清盛の呼び出しに簡単に応じていることから、平氏側（清盛）が院近臣勢力を潰すため、もしくは山門との衝突を回避するためにでっち上げた疑獄事件の可能性もある。