Former Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat has filed a petition in the Uttarakhand High Court in Nainital challenging the notification regarding decision taken by the State Cabinet to retract its recommendation for probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the sting operation carried out on CM Harish Rawat. This petition is slated to be taken up for hearing in the High Court on Tuesday (July 19). The decision to retract recommendation for a CBI probe had been taken in a meeting of the State cabinet on May 15.
In his petition filed in the Uttarakhand high court, the ex-Congress leader has stated that on May 15, which fell on a Sunday, the State Government took the opinion of its legal adviser and on the same day recommended that the State retract its recommendation for the CBI inquiry which was then underway to probe the sting operation carried out of chief minister Harish Rawat allegedly exposing talk of corrupt dealings. It is stated in the petition that the decision taken in the meeting of the State Cabinet on May 15 was not correct.
The petition further states that once a probe by the CBI is recommended in any case, the approval to withdraw the probe recommendation cannot be taken. It pertinent to mention here that earlier this year, after nine MlAs of the Congress rebelled against their party after which president’s rule had been imposed on the State.
During the period of President’s rule, following the recommendation approved by the Governor Krishan Kant Paul, a CBI inquiry had been initiated into the sting operation in question. later the Congress-led State Government under Harish Rawat as chief minister returned to office after passing the floor test in the Vidhan Sabha on May 10. Some days later, on May 15, the State cabinet had held a meeting which was presided over by the State Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Indira Hridayesh.
Chief minister Harish Rawat had not attended this particular cabinet meeting held on May 15. This was followed by issuance of a notification by the State Government regarding retraction of the CBI inquiry recommendation made in the past during president’s rule. However, the CBI had then refused to close inquiry into the case. It should be mentioned here that a petition had also been filed on behalf of chief minister Harish Rawat seeking a stay on the CBI probe.