Jharkhand: CBI to probe cash found during Rajya Sabha polls

Ranchi, Apr 5: Jharkhand High Court on Thursday ordered a CBI probe into alleged cash dealings in Rajya Sabha elections. One person had filed a petition in the High Court seeking CBI probe.

The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday directed the Election Commission (EC) to order an inquiry by a specialised agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into circumstances leading to the countermanding of the Rajya Sabha elections in the state.

The bench of Chief Justice Prakash Chandra Tatia and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh gave the direction to the EC after rejecting a writ petition praying for quashing of the decision to countermand Rajya Sabha polling in two seats.

The writ was filed by Congress leader and RS candidate Pradeep Kumar Balmachu on Tuesday praying that the EC's decision should be quashed as it was unconstitutional and not within its jurisdiction.

The EC countermanded the Rajya Sabha elections following seizure of Rs 2.15 crore from a car on the outskirts of the city by Income Tax sleuths and the Ranchi police hours before the polling.

The police and Income Tax officials had said that the car allegedly belonged to the kin of industrialist RK Agarwal, who was contesing as an independent candidate.

PTI