The Central Bureau of Investigation will question Uttarakhand’s deposed chief minister Harish Rawat on Monday, in a preliminary inquiry into a video taken during a sting operation. The clip allegedly showed Rawat offering bribes to rebel Congress leaders in the state to have their votes during a floor test in the state Assembly.

Recently, Rawat had admitted to being present in the video shot as part of the sting, which was conducted by a private news channel, and asked if meeting a journalist was a crime. He had earlier dismissed the video as being fake. The Home Ministry had sent the footage to the CBI for an investigation.

The state has been mired in controversy since nine Congress legislators voted against the state government’s Appropriation Bill in March. The Centre had recommended imposing President’s Rule in the state soon after the sting operation was made public. The state is currently under President's Rule till the next hearing in the matter is heard by the Supreme Court.