PIL over sting on Rawat: Hearing adjourned for three weeks

NAINITAL: Uttarakhand High Court today adjourned for three weeks the hearing on a PIL against deposed chief minister Harish Rawat seeking filing of a criminal case on the basis of a sting video which allegedly showed him offering bribe to win back rebel Congress MLAs.

Deferring the hearing, a division bench comprising Chief Justice K M Joseph and Justice V K Bisht questioned the intention behind the PIL as it was filed by a Delhi resident.

One Manan Sharma, a resident of Delhi, had filed the petition yesterday through his lawyer Ajay Vir Pundir. It was listed for today.

The petition seeks direction for registering a criminal case against Rawat on the basis of the sting video which purportedly shows him indulging in horsetrading by offering a hefty sum to Congress MLAs, who have revolted against his government.

The sting operation on Rawat which had deepened the political crisis in Uttarakhand is considered one of the factors which led to the imposition of President's rule in the state.