The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday summoned former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat for questioning in the purported sting operation case. The Congress leader has been asked to appear before the agency on Monday.
Rawat was caught on tape allegedly offering money to rebel Congress MLAs. He has, however, denied the charges leveled against him.
Claiming innocence, Rawat had said that if the CD contained evidence of him having made an offer in cash or kind in exchange for the support of disgruntled MLAs, he was ready to be hanged in public.
"If any evidence is found against me like me offering money or post to anybody, hang me at Clock tower," he said.
Rawat had, however, on May 1, virtually accepted his presence in the video. "Is meeting a journalist a crime? If one of the MLAs who had not been technically disqualified by that time talked to me ... how does it matter? Do we block any channels in politics?" Rawat told reporters on the sidelines of a programme.
The CBI had on April 28 initiated a preliminary enquiry into the purported sting operation against former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat, after receiving a notification from the Centre.
In the sting operation, Rawat allegedly offered crores to Congress rebels to bring them back into the party fold. The sting operation, among other things, had led to the imposition of President's rule in Uttarakhand.
Umesh Kumar, the man who made the sting, was on Friday examined at the CBI headquarters.
(With PTI Inputs)
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