New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Uttarakhand High Court's order for a CBI enquiry against Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat over allegations of corruption.
The apex court bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan observed that the Chief Minister and the state was not a party in the matter and that the High Court had passed a "drastic order" which took everyone by a surprise.
Attorney General KK Venugopal appearing for the Chief Minister and the state, argued before the apex court today that the High Court had no jurisdiction to pass such an order which would destabilise the government.
The Chief Minister was not a party in the case and the High Court ordered a CBI probe which is against the Supreme Court verdicts disallowing destabilising the government, Venugopal said.
Also Read: Harish Rawat says role for Sidhu in Punjab, calls him Cong's Rafale
He further submitted that the Uttarakhand High Court was entirely wrong on the grounds of law, and added that hampering the reputation of an accused without hearing the other side is a thing which should be taken into consideration.
Two journalists, Umesh Kumar Sharma and Shiv Prasad Semwal had alleged that money was transferred into the accounts of relatives of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in 2016 to support the appointment of a person as head of 'Gau Seva Ayog' of Jharkhand.
A video was released by Sharma, that alleged Rawat had taken a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from the candidate to back him in return. Rawat was at that time state in charge of Jharkhand.
An FIR was later lodged against the journalist by a retired professor and brother-in-law of the Chief Minister, following which the scribes approached the High Court for quashing of the FIR.
The High Court ordered quashing of the FIR and observed that it would be appropriate to investigate and know the truth about the controversy involving Chief Minister Rawat.
Also Read: Cong to 'gherao' Uttarakhand CM's residence over HC order on registration of FIR
