CBI Rejects Uttarakhand Notification to Probe Sting Operation

The sting purportedly shows Rawat offering bribes to rebel Congress lawmakers to support him during the floor test.

• CBI on Wednesday rejected Uttarakhand Government’s notification withdrawing permission for it to probe a sting operation against Chief Minister Harish Rawat.
  
  
• The notification is not legally tenable and hence the CBI will continue with its Preliminary Enquiry (PE) in the case, the sources said citing the legal opinion.
  
  
• The CBI had registered a PE on 29 April to probe a video-graphed “sting operation” purportedly showing Rawat offering bribes to rebel Congress lawmakers to support him during the floor test in the Uttarakhand assembly.
  
  
• The agency had summoned Rawat for examination for 9 May but he had sought more time after which he won the floor test and returned to power.
  

(With inputs from PTI)