Cash-for-vote scam: CBI raids premises of 9 MLAs

Ranchi: The CBI on Thursday raided the premises of 13 persons, including nine MLAs, in connection with alleged cash-for-vote scam during 2010 Rajya Sabha elections.

"Raids were conducted in 30 places in Jharkhand and outside the state," a senior CBI official said here. The raids were carried out in the premises of five RJD MLAs, three Congress MLAs, one JMM MLA and four other private persons, he said. The agency is investigating into a media expose, where six MLAs were allegedly caught on tape expressing their willingness to vote in favour of a particular candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, in return of monetary gains. An FIR was lodged against late Teklal Mahto and Simon Marandi (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), Rajiv Ranjan, Yogendra Sao and Sawana Lakda (Congress) and Umashankar Yadav Akela (BJP) in the scam, the official said. The state government, which had entrusted the state vigilance bureau to investigate the scam, had handed over the case to the CBI. PTI