HC summons Cong leaders

MUMBAI, Feb 17: The Mumbai High Court has summoned leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sharad Pawar, AICC general secretary M Scindia, leader of opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Madhukar Pichad and former MPCC president Ranjit Deshmukh, to depose on Feb 22 in a petition filed by Shiv Sena candidate Kanhaiyalal Gidwani who challenged the election of Arun Mehta Ind as MLC. Besides, summons have also been issued to ten MLAs from Maharashtra who had allegedly signed blank nomination forms used by Mehta in the MLC polls on June 18 last year. They are Dalip Valse Patil, Sanjay Deotale, Marotrao Kowase, Kishnrao Jadhav, Dr Khushal Bopche, Raosaheb Patil, Sahebrao Deshmukh, Ashok Dhatrak, Krishnarao Desai and Shankarrao Jagtap.