Sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided some premises of ex Congress Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas in connection with the infamous Chit fund (PACL) scam.
In total raids were made at around 18 – 20 locations in the state and some in other states, including Delhi and Chandigarh.
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The ED sources and some eye witnesses said that team from the ED Jaipur headquarters –having tip off about considerable (quantum) investment by the Congress leader-, reached at his residence in the area adjoining the Civil Lines (locality) early this morning.
Soon the report of the ED action spread around, supporters of Khachariyawas-, who is ex MLA from the Civil Lines assembly constituency, gathered outside his residence and opposed the raids raising slogans. This continued till late afternoon. The raid and searches were conducted in several towns in different state.
The scam had come in lights in 14 years back with lodging an FIR at the Chomu (Jaipur) police station in year 2011. Around 5.75 crore investors have reportedly invested Rs 49,000 crore. There are unconfirmed reports that that Khachariyavas has invested Rs 25 – 30 crore in the company, however, officials did not make any comments to the media in this regard.
The Supreme Court had also set up a high powered committee headed by retired CJI Justice RM Lodha in 2016.
Meanwhile, talking to the media outside his residence, Khachariyawas who is the nephew of former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, said “I am not scared, I have committed no wrong, so, I can not be tamed down”.
“I don’t know what they are searching for, they did not give me any notice, no prior intimation about their move. They asked me 2 – 4 questions, I replied back, they found nothing (no document no cash).
What is the sad aspect of this happening is they did not follow the procedure, the premises “The Khachariyawas House, is not owned by me,this belongs to my father and the tallest BJP leader late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s younger brother Laxman Singh Shekhawat. The ED officials did not show even the optimum regard and courtesy for the former VP’s brother.
The Opposition Congress has rallied behind its former Minister Khachariyawas to support him against the vendetta politics based harassment by the ruling BJP. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and the party Rajasthan unit incharge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, AICC General Secretary and ex Dy CM Sachin Pilot and party state president Govind Singh Dotasara have condemned the “vendetta politics”of the BJP through the central agencies like ED, CBI and IT department.
Gehlot has strongly condemned the raids at ex-Minister’s premises saying, Khachariyawas had boldly opposed the ruling BJP’s bid of toppling the then Congress led government in 2020. Annoyed with his stance the ED sleuths had took action against Khachariyawas and grilled him for 7 to 8 hours on August 12, 2020. This because Khachariyawas has always been vocal and active in fighting out wrong doings of the BJP and it’s government.
Similar, action was taken by the central government agency against the Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasara and also against a Congress sympathiser Independent during the assembly polls December 2023 bringing the real face and intent of the BJP for their political adversaries.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel, however, justified the raids saying “no body should be worried as we do work only in total fair, impartial and transparent manner.
