CBI could register FIR against former Uttarakhand CM Rawat in 2016 CD case

The order stated, “Counsel(s) appearing for CBI argued that as per the directions of the coordinate bench (of HC) issued on June 20, 2016, the preliminary probe has been conducted by CBI, and it was the duty of the CBI to inform the court before registering the FIR.

Updated on: Sep 5, 2019, 01:10:33 IST

Dehradun | By Neeraj Santoshi

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The Central Bureau of Investigation has told Uttarakhand high court that it would file a first information report related to a 2016 sting in which former chief minister Harish Rawat was purportedly shown striking a deal with a journalist to bring nine rebel legislators back to Congress.

Tandon said the high court will hear the case on September 20. (HT image)

Sandeep Tandon, counsel representing CBI, said during a hearing on Tuesday, he informed the HC that as a probe in the matter had been completed, it was duty of the CBI to inform the court before registering an FIR in the matter. HT has a copy of the order issued by the HC on Tuesday.

The order stated, “Counsel(s) appearing for CBI argued that as per the directions of the coordinate bench (of HC) issued on June 20, 2016, the preliminary probe has been conducted by CBI, and it was the duty of the CBI to inform the court before registering the FIR. Today it was simply informed by both the counsel(s) appearing for the CBI that since the preliminary probe has been conducted in the matter, CBI is going file the FIR in the matter”.

Tandon said the high court will hear the case on September 20. He said during a hearing of the case on August 21, he had moved an application in HC informing it that CBI had completed its preliminary report in the sting case, following which the HC directed that the report be submitted to it on September 20.

VBS Negi, counsel representing Rawat, said: “On September 20, the court will also discuss the point raised by it in its order issued on Tuesday. CBI on Wednesday sought modification in the last paragraph of the order and ‘did or’ was added in the paragraph. All these issues will be discussed in the next hearing.”

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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