HC update prod on vote scam

Ranchi, Jan. 9: Jharkhand High Court today directed vigilance bureau to furnish a status report on the ongoing probe into the alleged horse-trading in the 2010 Rajya Sabha elections.

The division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Tatia and Justice Jaya Roy was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jharkhand Against Corruption convener and social vigilante Durga Oraon in the matter.

Oraon in his petition had said the sting operation conducted by private news channel CNN-IBN revealed underhand monetary deals were struck to vote in Rajya Sabha polls in which legislators of Congress, JMM and BJP were implicated.

The sting showed Congressmen Sawna Lakra and Yogendra Sao, JMM's Simon Marandi and Teklal Mahto and BJP's Uma Shankar Akela demanding anywhere between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore to vote for "a particular candidate" in the Rajya Sabha poll.

Vigilance bureau informed the court that it had taken the statement of CNN/IBN chairman and that it was moreover going full steam ahead with investigations.

A CD of the sting operation had been sent to the Ahmedabad forensic laboratory, the vigilance bureau counsel told the court.

The case will again be heard on January 21.

The 2010 elections saw JMM candidate and chairman of Alchemist Group K.D. Singh and Congress candidate Dheeraj Sahu elected to the Upper House.

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