Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Monday told the Central Bureau of Investigation that he would not be able to appear before it for questioning in a sting CD case, reported ANI. The Uttarakhand High Court on Sunday dismissed Rawat’s plea seeking a stay on the investigation, The Indian Express reported.
The Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress leader of “murdering democracy” by violating constitutional law. “I don’t understand why the CBI has delayed in taking this decision. Harish Rawat has disrespected democracy. It is viable if he is summoned by the investigation agency. He should be punished for his wrongdoings,” said BJP leader Shyam Jaju.
The agency had asked Rawat on December 23 to appear before it for questioning. On April 29, a preliminary inquiry was filed against the CM in connection with the case. The video in question reportedly shows Rawat offering bribes to rebel Congress legislators to get them to support him in the Assembly floor test. Rawat had initially said that the tape was fake, though he later admitted that it was indeed him in the video. The video was made by a local news channel.
After Rawat’s victory in the floor test, the state government had asked the CBI to drop the case. However, the agency refused to oblige saying it was “not legally tenable”. The Home Ministry had sent the footage to the CBI for investigation. The CM had also approached the High Court, seeking the dismissal of the CBI investigation, but the court rejected his plea.
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