CBI may file PE against horse-trading
NEW DELHI: The CBI may register a preliminary enquiry on Friday pertaining to allegations of horse-trading in Rajya Sabha (RS) polls in Jharkhand in March. The investigation agency has received a communiqué from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to initiate the process for filing a FIR regarding the matter.
Allegations of horse-trading in Jharkhand RS polls were raised on March 30 after the Income Tax Department seized `2.15 crore from the car of one Suresh Agarwal, at Rampur on the outskirts of Ranchi. Suresh is the younger brother of R K Agarwal, an independent candidate contesting the RS polls.
Following the raid, the Election Commission (EC) scrapped the Jharkhand RS polls. On April 5, the Jharkhand High Court directed the EC to get the matter probed by the CBI. Four days later on April 9 the EC wrote to the DoPT requesting the department for a CBI probe into the matter.
Meanwhile, the EC has announced that the elections for two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand will be held on May 3. According to the new schedule, the nominations for the election can be filed up to April 23 and scrutiny will be done on April 24. The last day of withdrawing the nominations is April 26 and polling will be done on May 3 between 9 am to 4 pm.