The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday filed a first information report against former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat and his former Cabinet colleague Harak Singh Rawat in a 2016 horse-trading case, PTI reported. Harak Singh Rawat is now a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government.

The agency had conducted a preliminary inquiry into the allegations on March 23, 2016, when the state was under President’s Rule. The former chief minister’s alleged attempt at horse-trading was caught on tape by an editor of a news channel. The CBI sent the tape to the forensic science laboratory, which said it was genuine, and there was no evidence of any tampering.

The video purportedly showed the Congress leader having a discussion about bribing disgruntled legislators who had crossed over to the BJP in order to win back their support and return as chief minister. The CBI has also booked the journalist – Samachar Plus channel’s Editor-in-Chief Umesh Sharma – along with Harish Rawat and Harak Singh Rawat for criminal conspiracy and bribery. The Uttarakhand High Court had permitted the CBI to file an FIR against Harish Rawat on September 30.

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