DEHRADUN: A high-voltage drama ensued on Friday inside the Uttarakhand High Court when a single judge bench recused itself from the sting case involving former chief minister Harish Rawat in 2016 and asked for the case to be assigned to another bench of the HC.
David Kamath, a senior advocate from the Supreme Court, represented the former CM in the matter.
"We objected to the submission of a preliminary enquiry report of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The honourable court then deferred the hearing of the matter to October 1," said Kamath.
Replying to a query on why the CBI has not filed an FIR against Rawat after the high court on September 4, 2019 clarified that it had not issued any direction in the matter, Sandeep Tandon, counsel for the CBI, said the issue is pending with the agency and a decision has to be taken at the directorate level.
Last month, the HC had asked the CBI to submit the preliminary enquiry report in a sealed envelope on September 20.
In the CD sting case, the former chief minister Rawat was shown allegedly striking a deal with a journalist for bringing nine rebel legislators back to the Congress in 2016. The CBI through its counsel has informed the Uttarakhand high court that its preliminary report in the matter was completed.
Commenting on the matter, the former CM said that he was ready to face anything and has full faith in the judiciary of this country.
"The BJP government is harassing the opposition and misusing the CBI. I will not lose my deep faith in the judiciary of this country. Justice will be delivered, I am sure," said Rawat.