ED summons Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's son weeks before polls
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly summoned Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot on Friday in connection with a foreign exchange violation case. This comes weeks before the Rajasthan legislative assembly elections. The case is based on a 2015 complaint lodged by two Jaipur residents alleging that Gehlot sourced illegal funds from Mauritius-based Shivnar Holdings, suspected to be a shell company.
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This comes as the ED raided several locations on Thursday, including Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara's premises, in connection with an alleged case of leaked question papers for the recruitment of government school teachers. The CM called it a political vendetta by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Centre and accused it of trying to block the purported progressive policies of the Congress government.
ED seized Rs. 1.2 crore unaccounted cash
The summons is reportedly linked to the investigative agency's raids against Rajasthan-based hospitality group Triton Hotels and Resorts, Vardha Enterprises, and its directors and promoters, Shiv Shankar Sharma, Rattan Kant Sharma, and others. The ED raided the group and its promoters' premises in Jaipur, Udaipur, Delhi, and Mumbai for three days in August and seized Rs. 1.2 crore of unaccounted cash.
Some businesses laundering Gehlot's black money: BJP MP
Earlier this year, BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena filed a complaint with the ED alleging that the CM was using some business ventures to launder his black money. The complaint against Gehlot and his associate sought action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The CM pointed out that the raids and summons came a day after he announced guarantees for women.
