The CBI will question Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday in connection with a Preliminary Enquiry relating to the sting operation purportedly showing him in negotiation with middlemen to strike a deal with dissident Congress MlAs to seek favourable voting in the Assembly.
The CBI had earlier examined journalist Umesh Kumar, who had conducted the sting operation for two and a half hours. Kumar had also provided the raw footage of the sting and veracity of the video recording was confirmed after forensic test.
The PE was registered following a request from the State Government which was under President’s Rule then. After Rawat won the floor test in the Assembly recently, he had sought to withdraw the notification for the CBI probe into the sting operation. However, the agency turned down the fresh notification in the matter saying the same was not legally tenable.
Two days before Rawat was to face the vote of confidence on March 28, rebel Congress MlAs led by former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna alleged that they were offered bribe by Rawat for support during the floor test in the Assembly and released video of a “sting” operation purportedly showing Rawat.