The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi, his son Amit and defected Congress Member of Parliament P R Kunte for allegedly trying to bribe Bharatiya Janata Party legislators after the recent elections in the state.
A first information report was filed before a designated court against the three following the Chhattisgarh government's decision to hand over the case to the agency, CBI sources said.
The case alleges that Jogi used "unfair" means to prevent the BJP from forming government in the state.
The CBI registered the case against the three also under section 34 of Indian Penal Code, which states: "When a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for the act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone."
The FIR also cites section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) besides some sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which includes bribery and receiving grafts.
The CBI will now issue notices to all three of them to appear before it.
Reacting to the development, Jogi accused the CBI of adopting double standards. He said while an FIR has been filed against him, the same had not been done against former Union minister Dilip Singh Judeo, who was purportedly videotaped receiving money.
At an interaction with the press in New Delhi, Jogi described as "baseless" the charges mentioned in the FIR.
"The truth will come out if an impartial inquiry is conducted into the matter."
Asked if he expected the agency to conduct an impartial probe, Jogi said, "The CBI director has changed and let us see what the agency does."
