CHANDIGARH: After several failed raid attempts in the past few days, the Rajasthan Police has issued notices to two Haryana resorts seeking CCTV camera footage from July 10 onwards to establish whether they were housing 18 rebel Congress MLAs led by suspended deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot.
Sources, however, said the resorts are not likely to submit the details to the police as the managements argue that they do not fall under the jurisdiction of Rajasthan. The sources said the Rajasthan Police has served notices on ITC Grand Bharat at Tauru in Nuh and Best Western Country Inn in Manesar, directing both the resorts to submit the footage as well the booking records from July 10 onwards.
In case any room is booked in the name of suspended Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma, the resorts has to provide the details of check-in and check-out timings, payments, identity proof and parking. The SOG of the Rajasthan Police reportedly has enough evidence to establish that Sharma was staying at Country Inn and then shifted to ITC Grand for a few hours.
Day’s drama
10:46 am Rajasthan High Court accepts rebel MLAs’ plea to make the Centre a party to the case
11:35 am High Court orders “status quo” to be maintained on Speaker C P Joshi’s notice to rebel Congress MLAs, including former deputy CM Sachin Pilot
11:55 am HC defers judgment on the case filed by Pilot, 18 other rebel MLAs till the Supreme Court decides on the matter
1 pm CM Ashok Gehlot addresses the media; asks for Special Assembly session to be convened so that he can prove majority on the floor of the House
3:15 pm Gehlot, other Congress MLAs reach Raj Bhawan to meet Governor Kalraj Mishra; sit in protest on the premises to demand that Assembly session be convened
4 pm Governor steps out to meet the MLAs
6 pm Gehlot speaks to media again, hopes governor does not “come under pressure” and calls Assembly session
7.30 pm Gehlot’s MLAs end protest at Raj Bhawan after Governor’s assurance on calling Assembly session