Finding the public interest litigation for CBI inquiry and formation of a special investigation team regarding the controversial sting operation as immature, the division bench of the Uttarakhand High Court has asked the petitioner to submit the petition along with factual information.
The PIl filed by Delhi resident Manan Sharma was brought up on Thursday before the High Court division bench of Chief Justice KM Joseph and Justice VK Bist on Thursday. Though the division bench accepted the petition seeking CBI probe and SIT formation for the case, it has asked the petitioner to submit the petition with required facts, setting the next hearing for Friday.
It is pertinent to mention here that the recent sting operation by a television news channel showing the then Chief Minister Harish Rawat purportedly horsetrading for MlAs was followed by imposition of president’s rule in Uttarakhand.
In a related development, a petition on behalf of the former CM and Congress Almora district head Peetambar Pande seeking a moratorium on broadcasting of news related to the sting operation has also been filed in the High Court.
In the petition brought up before the HC single bench of Justice UC Dhyani, the petitioner has made the CEO of the television news channel concerned along with various television news channels and newspapers parties in the case. The petition is likely to be brought up for hearing on Friday.