CBI to file FIR against former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat

The Central Bureau will a First Information Report (FIR) against former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat in connection with a sting CD case related to alleged horse-trading.

The central probe agency has moved an application in the Uttarakhand High Court, informing it about the FIR. "An application has been moved by the petitioner (CBI). We have told the court that we are going to register the FIR," Sandeep Tondon, CBI advocate told media persons.

The court will hear the matter on September 20.

Last month, the CBI had submitted a probe report in the Uttarakhand high court in the case against Congress leader Rawat.

In a 2016 sting operation, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and Congress general secretary can be seen allegedly talking to a journalist for bringing nine rebel MLAs back to Congress' fold.

Rawat, however, had denied any involvement in the case and termed the action against him a "conspiracy" to frame him.

"Hard times lie ahead of me, there are some forces which want to destroy me. But I assure you that I will not break but would rather go down fighting," he had said.

After Rawat's victory in the floor test, the state cabinet had proposed a CBI probe in the case and decided to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to go into the case. But the central government had rejected the proposal.

( With inputs from ANI )