The CBI on Thursday issued fresh notices against several MlAs, including two Ministers -- Annapurna Devi and Suresh Paswan, to interrogate them for their alleged involvement in the horse trading case during Rajya Sabha Elections 2010.
Congress MlA and Agriculture Minister Yogendra Sao was interrogated on Wednesday in this regard.
"All those MlAs who have been named in the FIR, along with the RJD legislators have been issued notices asking them to appear before us for interrogation," said a CBI official requesting anonymity.
According to the official, six MlAs -- late Teklal Mahto, Simon Marandi (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), Rajiv Ranjan, Yogendra Sao, Sawna lakra (Congress) and Umashankar Yadav Akela (BJP) -- were named in the FIR lodged by the CBI. All of them were allegedly caught on camera in a cash-for-vote scam during Rajya Sabha Elections 2010.
Notices have been issued against the RJD MlAs -- Sanjay Yadav, Annarpurna Devi and Suresh Paswan. Both Annapurna and Paswan are ministers in the Hemant Government.
The cash-for-vote case of 2010 was referred to the CBI, which was earlier being investigated by the State vigilance bureau, following a Jharkhand High Court directive while hearing a PIl filed by an anti-corruption activist Durga Oraon.
A TV News channel aired videos of six MlAs of the State negotiating for money to vote in favour of a particular candidate soon after the polls in the year 2010. Six MlAs of different parties were shown expressing willingness to vote for a particular candidate in return of monetary gains.
After much hue and cry, an FIR was lodged, and the State vigilance bureau began investigations, which was later handed over to the CBI.
Alchemist Group Chairman KD Singh was fielded by JMM while Congress had fielded Dheeraj Sahu. Both got elected in 2010 Rajya Sabha Elections. Former Chief Minister Arjun Munda had also recommended a CBI enquiry into the 2010 Rajya Sabha elections after reports of malpractice during the polls.
Notably, the CBI in April last year had conducted search operations at the houses of nine legislators along with three close aides of the accused MlAs and MPs of the State in connection with the cash-for-vote scam of 2010 Rajaya Sabha polls. The raids had been conducted at the houses of MlA Vishnu Bhaiya of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha at Ranchi, Suresh Paswan of RJD at Ranchi, Sanjay Yadav of RJD at Godda, Saurabh Narayan Singh of Congress at Hazaribagh, Annapurna Devi of RJD at Koderma and Chatra and Ranchi residences of Chatra MlA from RJD Janardan Paswan.
Again in May last year, the CBI's anti-corruption branch had conducted raids at Rajya Sabha MP K.D. Singh's office at Harmu, a flat of RJD legislator Sanjay Yadav at Hawai Nagar and the office of Ranchi executive magistrate Ram Krishna Kumar at the district collectorate. Ram Krishna is said to be related to RJD MlA Annapurna Devi, whose role in the cash-for-vote scam is under the scanner.