Rajasthan MLA files petition before HC seeking NIA probe in alleged horse-trading case

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 28 (ANI): Rajasthan MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma on Tuesday filed a petition before High Court seeking National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in alleged horse-trading case.
The petition filed by Sharma also sought to quash Special Operations Group (SOG) FIR registered against him in the case.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau had on July 25 issued notice to Congress MLAs Vishvendra Singh and Bhanwar Lal Sharma in connection with alleged horse-trading in Rajasthan.
Last week, the Congress had suspended Sharma and Singh from the primary membership of the party and issued show-cause notices to them to "explain their conduct in the conspiracy to topple Congress government in Rajasthan."
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's loyalists have alleged that Congress MLA and former cabinet minister Bhanwarlal Sharma was making his fifth attempt to topple the state government along with former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.
However, MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma has refuted the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan police issued notices to Tanveer Singh, Balwant Singh, Digvijaya Raj Singh and Karni Singh for alleged horse-trading that led to the political crisis in the state.
Rajasthan Congress continues to remain in turmoil after simmering differences between Pilot and Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was, on July 14, also sacked from the posts of Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and state PCC president.
Gehlot had blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs. However, BJP has refused the allegations.
A controversy had broken out in Rajasthan after Special Operation Group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG in the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the state. (ANI)