Sting CD case: Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat says he will cooperate with CBI

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harsih Rawat, who has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the sting CD probe, on Monday hoped for an unbiased probe into the matter and assured to fully cooperate with the investigative agency.

Rawat told ANI, "The CBI has given me a date for Tuesday. So, I am going to Delhi in the same regard. Whatever the CBI wants to know I will tell them as I said earlier that I am going to fully cooperate with the investigative agency. Now, I leave it on to the CBI to probe the matter in an unbiased manner."

The CBI has asked Rawat to appear before it on Tuesday.

Earlier on May 20, the Congress government in Uttarakhand decided to constitute a judicial committee to look into various issues, including incidents unfolding after March 17-18 such as horse trading, misuse of agencies and sting operation among others.

Justifying the Cabinet's decision, Rawat then said that it was in the wider interest of the state that this matter is handed over to a judicial commission.

The video shows Rawat indulging in horse trading a day before President's rule was imposed in Uttarakhand on March 27.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had alleged that the sting was proof of unfair means used by the Rawat regime to stay in power.

Rawat has maintained his innocence in the matter and termed the entire episode as a "conspiracy" to tarnish his image.