RS horse trading: HC asks CBI why delay in filing charge-sheet

Jharkhand High Court today asked the CBI why no charge-sheet was filed so far in connection with the horse-trading case that had led to countermanding of the 2012 Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand.
Hearing a PIL filed by a social activist, the division bench, headed by Chief Justice P C Tatia, asked the CBI about the delay while reviewing its progress report.
The CBI informed the bench that a final report was in the process of completion and charge-sheet would be filed soon.
Asking to speed up the investigation, the bench fixed April 15 for the next hearing.
The court also reviewed a report placed by the state government in connection with allegations against JMM MLA Sita Soren, who has been "evading arrest" after an FIR accused her of assaulting her private secretary late last year for allegedly being a witness in the horse trading allegations.

The court gave time till April 15 after the investigating officer sought more time to arrest the MLA, who is the daughter-in-law of JMM supremo Shibu Soren.

The court had on March 6 also pulled up the state police for their failure in arresting Sita Soren in connection with an assault charge filed against her.
The CBI has already conducted raids in the premises of at least 23 MLAs in connection with the horse trading case, which was registered after Rs 2.15 crore had been recovered from a vehicle, allegedly owned by a relative one of the independent candidates, in Ranchi on the poll day.

Later, the Election Commission had scrapped the polling and held elections for the two seats afresh.