The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed two separate cases related to the Chhattisgarh sex CD allegedly featuring the state PWD minister Rajesh Munat.
This follows the takeover of investigations into the matter by the central investigation agency after allegations that the Chhattisgarh Police was incapable of conducting an impartial investigation in a case involving a senior minister of the state government.
It is not clear under what sections the CBI has filed its first information reports and who has been kept in the dock.
In its original FIR, The Chhattisgarh Police had put Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel and senior journalist Vinod Verma in the dock. The original case was filed under section 67 (A) of the Information Technology Act, which criminalizes distribution of pornography.
The section of the IT Act says that whoever publishes or transmits or causes to be published or transmitted in the electronic form any material which contains sexually explicit act or conduct shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees.
The Congress Party had questioned the original FIR, pointing out that possession of a ‘sex CD’ was not covered by the IT Act, which related only to transmission or publication of such material.
Vinod Verma, who is a member of Editors Guild of India, was arrested in late October from his home in Ghaziabad near Delhi by a team from Chhattisgarh Police.
He was arrested after Prakash Bajaj, associated with the BJP IT cell, lodged a complaint with Pandri police station in which he complained of attempt to blackmail and extort money.