Charges framed against RK Agarwal, Pawan Dhoot

RANCHI: A special CBI court has framed charges against industrialists R K Agarwal and Pawan Dhoot, independent candidates in the rescinded 2012 Rajya Sabha polls, and one Sunil Maheswari.

The three were accused in the 'horse trading' case lodged by the CBI after cancellation of the 2012 Rajya Sabha elections for two seats in Jharkhand.

The charges were framed in the court of R K Choudhary here yesterday after it had on January 25 rejected the bail plea of Agarwal.

Ruling JMM MLA Sita Soren, her father B N Manjhi and private secretary Rajendra Mandal were also accused of horse trading following seizure of Rs 2.15 crore from a vehicle at Namkum on the outskirts of Ranchi on March 30, 2012, the polling day, leading to the scrapping of the polls.

The Election Commission had held the polls afresh on May 3 that year after the police alleged that the cash was being carried by kin of Agarwal.

The CBI, which is also investigating the 2010 RS elections following allegations of horse trading, has raided the premises of several sitting and former MLAs and business men in connection with the two cases.