'Recieved FIR by CBI, my legal team examining it': Ex Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat

Former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat on Wednesday said that he has received a copy of the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against him in the alleged horse-trading case and that his legal team is examining it.

"I have received a copy of the FIR filed by the CBI today. I am examining it along with my legal team," Rawat told ANI over the phone.

Earlier today, the CBI registered a case against Rawat, former cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat and Samachar Plus Channel CEO Umesh Kumar for allegedly trying to indulge in horse-trading in 2016, which was caught on video.

The case comes in line with the investigation agency's probe into the purported 2016 video, which showed him negotiating a deal to bringing nine rebel MLAs back into Congress' fold. The state was under President's rule at that time.

The CBI said that the 2016 video has been indicated to be genuine.

"The recorded video conversation dated March 23, 2016, has been examined by Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Gandhi Nagar and it has been opined that there is no addition/ deletion/ insertion/ tampering/ morphing in the video files indicating that the recordings are genuine," CBI said in the FIR.

The case was registered under several Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.

Nainital High Court had, on September 30, permitted the CBI to register an FIR and commence the investigation in the matter.