The CBI today is conducting raids at the premises of 14 Jharkhand MLAs, and also the homes of a former MP and his brother, as part of its investigation into the allegations of horse trading that led to countermanding of the March 30 Rajya Sabha polls in the state.
In the early morning raids, 36 teams raided at least 35 locations which include the residences of MLAs of Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Hazaribagh, Godda, Bihars Banka district and Giridih, a CBI official told PTI.
Raids are also being conducted in government hostels that are used by MLAs.
The MLAs belong to ruling JMM, Ajsu party and opposition RJD and Congress. The sleuths are also raiding at a place in Kolkata, and also the premises of one of the independent candidates who was in the fray in elections to the Upper House.
On April 21, the CBI had raided the premises of three MLAs, Vishnu Bhaiyya (JMM), K N Tripathy (Congress) and Suresh Paswan (RJD) and independent candidate and industrialist R K
Agarwal.
Back then, the CBI had also seized the ballot box, which was used in the March 30 countermanded elections to Rajya Sabha as part of their probe.
The agency had registered a case under section 171F (undue influence) and 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant), days after the police and the Income Tax department seized Rs 2.15 crore from a vehicle allegedly belonging to a relative of an independent candidate on the outskirts of Ranchi on poll day.
The EC had conducted the fresh biennial elections on May 3 for the two RS seats.