Shimla, July 12
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing allegations of bribing Congress MLAs to destabilize the Congress Government in Himachal Pradesh recently grilled BJP candidate and former Independent MLA Ashish Sharma for almost eight hours.
According to police sources, the SIT questioned Sharma since 2 pm, and as of late evening report he was still at Police Station facing investigation. Reportedly the investigation continued for around 7 hours.
It is noteworthy that on the complaint of Sanjay Awasthi and Bhubaneswar Gour, an FIR was lodged against Ashish Sharma and the father of former Congress MLA Chaitanya Sharma, Rakesh Sharma, under sections 171(c) and (e) (undue influence on elections and bribery) and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and sections 7 and 8 (public servant taking undue advantage) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
On July 5, the Himachal Pradesh High Court allowed Sharma to present himself before the SIT after the by-election on July 11 to join the investigation. Sharma has already obtained anticipatory bail in the matter along with Rakesh Sharma.
The private secretary of Manohar Lal Khattar and four former Congress MLAs are being questioned in the matter, and they have been issued presence warrants to join the investigation.
On April 1, Rakesh Sharma and Ashish Sharma were granted anticipatory bail by the Himachal Pradesh High Court. However, after April 24, it couldn’t be confirmed.
In an interesting turn of events, six Congress MLAs, after casting RS votes in support of BJP candidate Harash Mahajan, who won the poll after a lottery draw, were rushed out of the state and stayed in five-star resorts in Haryana and Uttarakhand for several days. After their expulsion from the state assembly, they joined the BJP. It is alleged by the complainants that the duo hatched a conspiracy to topple the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh.
Interestingly, six Congress MLAs and three Independents who also resigned from the state assembly were provided security by the Haryana government and the Centre.
According to a status report submitted by the SIT to the High Court regarding the involvement of the duo in the alleged crime, it has recovered incriminating documents that show that during their journey outside the state, their helicopter, flight, and hotel bills amounting to crores of rupees were paid by people involved in toppling the state government.
The SIT now wants to know about the matter from the two persons and other people, including four former Congress MLAs.
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