BJP welcomes Supreme Court order staying CBI probe into allegations against Uttarakhand CM

Ramesh Bhatt, Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat’s media advisor, said the top court’s order was expected as the chief minister was heard in the matter and no notice was issued to him

Published on: Oct 29, 2020, 16:43:40 IST

Hindustan Times, Dehradun | By Neeraj Santoshi

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Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat’s office and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court order putting on hold an Uttarakhand high court ruling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into bribery allegations against him. Rawat moved the top court following the high court ruling on Tuesday.

Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. (HT Archive)

Ramesh Bhatt, Rawat’s media advisor, the top court’s order was expected as the chief minister was heard in the matter nor was any notice issued to him. “We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court. We believe ultimately truth will prevail; it will win.”

Also Read: SC stays CBI probe against Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat

BJP spokesman Devendra Bhasin welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision. “The HC [high court] order was a surprising development as it was done without hearing the chief minister in the matter. We believe that truth will ultimately prevail. Lies have no legs.”

He said the opposition Congress wanted to make this an issue only to be disappointed. “They should apologise to the chief minister for the kind of statements Congress leaders have been making since Tuesday. The kinds of statements they have made show how frustrated Congress is.”

Congress leader Lalchand Sharma said the top court has just stayed the order and not cleared him of the allegations. “Given the fact that such serious allegations have been levelled against him, the chief minister should have resigned on moral grounds till the investigation was completed. If he has nothing to hide, why does not he want the CBI to investigate the allegations? Why is he shying away from a transparent probe in the matter.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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