CBI raids Jain's residence, AAP cries foul
New Delhi, May 30: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday raided the residence of Delhi Health and Power Minister Satyendra Jain in connection with hiring of creative teams for Mohalla clinics, schools and other such programmes.
"CBI raids my house for hiring creative team by PWD (Public Works Department). Professionals were hired for different projects. All were forced to leave by CBI," Jain said.
Last year, CBI had initiated a preliminary enquiry related to the hiring of 24 architects without following the laid-down rules and norms.
Reacting to the raid on Jain's residence, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "What does PM Modi want?"
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia while quoting a report said that NITI Aayog favoured these creative teams.
"The Aam Aadmi Party is not going to stop with these practice," he said.
On Monday, CBI closed a case against Jain related to the hiring of his daughter for Mohalla Clinic.
In August last year, a corruption case was filed against Jain.
The raids were going on till 10 a.m.
The case has been registered against Jain, S.K. Srivastava, the then Engineer-in-Chief in PWD and others, a CBI official said here.
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Panchamasali Lingayat quota: Will place previous BJP govt's affidavit to SC before Assembly, says CM
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 9: In a bid to corner opposition BJP that has extended support to Panchamasali Linayats' protest demanding higher reservation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday told the state Assembly that he will place before it, the previous saffron party government's affidavit to the Supreme Court on the issue.
The Chief Minister's statement came a day ahead of Panchamasali Lingayats, a sub-sect of the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, planning to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here demanding to be included in category 2A (15 per cent) of OBC reservation matrix. They are currently included under 3B (5 per cent).
He was responding to senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal urging the CM to take a concrete decision on Panchamasali Lingayats' demand.
ALSO READ: Panchamasali seer upset over restrictions on protests in Belagavi
"Panchamasali Lingayats have been demanding that they be included under 2A, I held two meetings with Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peetha seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami and other leaders and I have told them clearly that I'm not opposed to their reservation demands," Siddaramaiah said.
Noting that there are categories in OBC like category 1, 2A, 3A, 3B, and Veershaiva Lingayats and Panchamasali Lingayats come under category 3B, he said, "If we have to include any community under category 2A or 1 freshly, an application has to be filed before a permanent backward class commission."
Further stating that the previous government did not include the Panchamasali Lingayats under 2A category, Siddaramaiah said, "They instead cancelled 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and gave 2 percent from it to communities that come under 3B and 2 per cent to 3A communities."
When Muslims appealed against it in the Supreme Court, the previous BJP government had filed an affidavit undertaking that they will not withdraw 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and will maintain the status quo, he said.
At this point, some BJP MLAs demanded CM not to make his own statement and to place the actual facts from the affidavit, and sought for discussion. Responding to it, Siddaramaiah said, "It is not my personal statement, I will place Supreme Court orders before the House the day after tomorrow.
What has happened in the Supreme Court, what undertaking you have given there, I will place everything before the House. I expect everyone will abide by the Supreme Court orders." The government will give a reply and make its stand clear when the issue is raised, he added.
Earlier, Home Minister G Parameshwara clarified to the Legislative Assembly that there are no restrictions on the protest by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday, demanding higher reservation, but tractors will not be permitted, as there was a plan to bring 5,000 tractors to the protest site near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the session is on.
"The Panchamasali community has planned a protest regarding their reservation demands, according to information I received they have plans to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha by bringing 5,000 tractors. If 5,000 tractors come, we will not be able to hold the session here and it will not be possible to maintain the law and order. So we have decided not to allow tractors and we have already communicated it," he said.
"Protesting is their right and we won't restrict it, but as it will be difficult to maintain law and order, we have said that tractors should not be brought. We will allow people to come in jeeps, with some restrictions, and we will maintain law and order. If we don't do it, you (opposition) will accuse us of not maintaining law and order. So if they do it with restraint, we will give permission," he said.
The Home Minister was responding to some BJP MLAs earlier in the day protesting from the well of the House alleging that the Belagavi district administration has put restrictions on a protest planned by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday.
