A Public Interest litigation (PIl) has been filed in Jharkhand High Court demanding CBI inquiry into the charges of horse-trading during the June 11 Rajya Sabha elections.
Notably, JVM (P) Chief Babulal Marandi, a couple of days back, had released a CD as evidence containing purported call records along with video footage of Chief Minister Raghubar Das, ADG (Special Branch) Anurag Gupta and CM’s political advisor Ajay Kumar.
The PIl has been filed by anti-corruption crusader Durga Oraon under the banner of ‘Jharkhand Against Corruption’.
“We have demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter and prosecute all the three persons – CM Raghubar Das, ADG (Special Branch) Anurag Gupta and CM’s Political Advisor Ajay Kumar, seen in the CD,” said petitioner’s counsel Rajiv Kumar. A prayer has been made to direct the Election Commission to refer the matter to the CBI, added Kumar.
Kumar said that the judgment delivered by the high court in the horse trading case of 2010 and 2012 Rajya Sabha elections has also been attached with the petition which were similar in nature where the voters were influenced by the other party.
According to the call record transcript, provided at a press conference by Babulal Marandi, Gupta assured Congress leader Yogendra Sao of a better political future, saying the Raghubar Das government would be in power for long.