Former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat booked on corruption charges

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on charges of corruption and criminal conspiracy in a bid to indulge in horse-trading.
The case is the outcome of a CBI probe into a purported video recorded in 2016 when the state was under President's rule. Besides Harish Rawat, former Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat and Samachar Plus Channel CEO Umesh Kumar have also been booked by the agency.

CBI, in its FIR, has said that the recorded video conversation dated March 23, 2016 was examined by FSL, Gandhi Nagar and it “has been opined that there is no addition/deletion/insertion/tampering/morphing in the video files indicating that the recordings are genuine”.

The video purportedly showed Rawat discussing money to win back the support of disgruntled MLAs who had crossed over to the BJP so that he could return to power.

Recently, the Uttarakhand High Court gave the nod to the CBI to go ahead with its investigation in the case and lodge an FIR against Rawat after the agency submitted a report in a sealed cover on the preliminary inquiry.

CBI had initiated a preliminary enquiry on April 25, 2016 in which it has found substantial evidence to register an FIR against Rawat.

CBI has said that its preliminary enquiry (PE) revealed that after passing of finance bill on March 18, 2016 in the Uttarakhand State Assembly, dissident MLAs of the Congress Party along with members from BJP left Dehradun by chartered flight and shifted to Gurgaon. Umesh Sharma, CEO of Samachar Plus, News Channel visited Gurgaon and met Harak Sing Rarvat one of the dissident MLAs.

During this meeting, reads CBI’s FIR, they entered into a criminal conspiracy for the purpose of demanding gratification from Harish Rawat in lieu of his support to the Congress Government. In pursuance of the criminal conspiracy, Harak Sing Rawat asked Umesh Kumar to meet Harish Rawat, the then Chief Minister, Uttarakhand and convey his demand for the post of Deputy Chief Minister, two departments and cash. Pursuant to the meeting Umesh Kumar arranged a meeting with Harish Rawat in the VIP lounge of Dehradun Airport on March 23, 2016 and recorded conversation between him and Harish Rawat by using his mobile phone.

In response to Harak Singh Rawat’s demand, Harish Rawat replied that he (Harak Sing Rawat and others) can come to him and earn from the departments which can even be 30 crores, as he has nothing left with him to pay them. Hearing this, Umesh Kumar proposed that he can arrange 5-7 crores from somewhere and requested Harish Rawat to arrange another 5 crores.