The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 26 October raided the premises of Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra as part of a money laundering investigation into the alleged exam paper leak case in the poll-bound State.
The central agency also issued summon to Vaibhav Gehlot, son of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot in foreign exchange violation (FEMA) probe.
Elections for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will be held on 25 November.
The premises of Dotasra, a former Minister for School Education, in Sikar and Jaipur apart from Congress candidate from Mahua seat in Dausa, Omprakash Hudla, and some others are being searched, PTI reported, citing official sources.
Dotasra is the Congress’ candidate from Lacchmangarh seat of Sikar against BJP’s Subhash Maharia. He is also the sitting MLA from this seat, while Hudla is an independent MLA from the Mahwa constituency and has been given a Congress ticket for next month’s election.
An armed escort of Central paramilitary force CRPF accompanied the ED officials.
Vaibhav has been asked to appear before the probe agency’s office either in Jaipur or in New Delhi on Friday, news agency PTI reported. The summons are linked to the recent ED raids against Rajasthan based hospitality group Triton Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd., Vardha Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. and its directors and promoters Shiv Shankar Sharma, Rattan Kant Sharma and others, the report added.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot posted a message on social media confirming the raids on Dotasra and about a ED summon to his son and Congress leader Vaibhav Gehlot, saying the ED raids are being done everyday in the State “as the BJP does not want that Congress party’s guarantees reach the women, farmers and the poor.”
“Date 25/10/23 Congress launches guarantees for women of Rajasthan. Date 26/10/23 ED raid on Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Ji Dotasara, Summons to my son Vaibhav Gehlot to appear in ED. Now you can understand what I have been saying that ED’s Red Rose is happening inside Rajasthan because BJP does not want that women, farmers and poor in Rajasthan should get the benefit of the guarantees given by Congress”, Gehlot said on X.
