Reacting to the CBI probing the sting CD that purportedly showed him as cutting a deal with the rebel Congress MlAs and dragging him to Delhi repeatedly for qustioning him, CM Harish Rawat said on Wednesday that the premier probe agency should summon others involved in the matter instead of singling him out with a vindictive motive. “I have told them I would co-operate with CBI. I am reiterating the same even today,” he said while talking to the media persons.
He said that he had requested CBI on June 7 that the probe dealing with the serious issue of defection must be a comprehensive one. “I wonder why others are being left out while things ar closing on me. It is clear from the sting video that many names cropped up in course of the conversation that was held between me and the sting- maker. The sting maker himself mentioned many names that were part of the game. He even said that money was being given to them. But what is surprising is that they are not being summoned while I am being dragged to Delhi time and again,” CM said.
Citing another instance involving the Opposition, CM said that several MlAs stated on March 18 that they were being offered huge sums by the leaders of Opposition party. “I asked CBI to investigate the matter. It is starange that CBI is conducting inquiry against the political party which is at the receiving end of things having lost as many as 10 MlAs on two different occasions. The persons who have joined BJP are being spared. The probe agency must unearth the source from which the money meant to buy back MlAs came,” he said.
He further said they had tried to draw th CBI attntion on three important points. "First, things must be probed as to who provided the bus to the dissident MlAs on which they reached Rajbhawan on the night of March 18 IJ The second thing that is worth a probe is that who arranged the chartered plane by which they reached Delhi. The third thing we want to be probed into is who took the initiative to provide the rebels with accommodation in a hotel in Noida. It must be cleared who paid the bill,” CM said.
“It is a pity that while the major actors are being let off the hook the non-actor is being dragged to Delhi for grilling. They are asking me about the motive that took me to meet the sting maker. It was in a jovial mood that I talked to the sting maker,” he said.