Rajasthan HC Resumes Hearing on Sachin Pilot, 18 Other Rebel Congress Legislator's Plea

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan High Court has resumed hearing on rebel Congress MLA's petition challenging the disqualification notices sent by the speaker. Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Prashant Gupta began hearing the case in Court No. 1 when Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Speaker CP Joshi, revived his arguments. Senior counsel Harish Salve and Mukul Rohtagi, representing Sachin Pilot and other MLAs, have completed their case.

On Sunday, the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group (SOG) team which is investigating charges of horse-trading to bring down the Ashok Gehlot government returned to the resort in Haryana to host rebel MLAs supporting Sachin Pilot, but returned empty-handed within 10 minutes as the hotel management did not allow them to enter and asked them to come in the morning.

In the last three days, it was the second time that the Rajasthan Police had made a beeline for a resort where the MLAs were said to be staying. They had to return empty-handed from the ITC Bharat Grand on Friday night. Later, they said that the Haryana Police did not cooperate with them.

The Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group is investigating allegations of horse-trading by the Ashok Gehlot government. The police said they had gone to pick up a voice sample of Bhanwar Lal Sharma on Friday. The Congress claimed that the rebel MLA had been caught on tape talking about bribes from the BJP.

Sachin Pilot and 18 rebel MLAs supporting him have been residing in two resorts in Manesar since he openly rebelled against his party and was seen as a threat to the Ashok Gehlot administration last week.

A notice has been issued to former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in connection with the bungalow allotment case. The trial will take place on 10 September at the High Court of Rajasthan.