BJP to approach SC against HC order of CBI probe against Uttarakhand CM

The Uttarakhand BJP on Wednesday said it will go to the Supreme Court against the high court's order for a CBI probe into charges of corruption against Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Talking to reporters here after addressing a training camp of party workers, state BJP chief Bansidhar Bhagat said the party honours the high court verdict, but will go to the top court against it.

"No one can prove a charge of corruption against the chief minister," he said.

The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday quashed an FIR registered against a journalist for a social media post alleging that a man from Jharkhand deposited money post demonetisation into the bank account of a couple related to the chief minister for the latter's benefit and issued instructions that a CBI inquiry be conducted into the matter.

Issuing the order, Justice Ravindra Maithani also said all documents related to the case be submitted before the court.

Umesh Sharma, the journalist, had filed a petition in the court, seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against him for the social media post, in which he had claimed that one Amritesh Chauhan from Jharkhand deposited money after demonetisation into the bank account of Harendra Singh Rawat and his wife Savita Rawat for the personal benefit of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Bank statements were also attached with the post in support of the allegations. Sharma had claimed that Savita Rawat was the sister of the chief minister's wife.

Harendra Singh Rawat had filed a case against Sharma at a Dehradun police station on July 31, accusing him of blackmailing.

He had claimed that the allegations levelled by the journalist were false and baseless and that Sharma had forged the bank statements.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Kapil Sibal pleaded in the high court on behalf of Sharma.

After hearing the parties, Justice Maithani quashed the FIR against Sharma and issued directions for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the matter.