ED raids 15 premises linked to Cong leader in chit fund case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted search operations in at least 15 premises in Rajasthan belonging to former Congress minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas in connection to an alleged ₹49,000-crore chit fund scam, said people familiar to the matter.

- Senjuti Sengupta

JAIPUR:

An official from the agency, requesting anonymity, said, "A team of the ED's Delhi unit is conducting the raid. The search is in connection to alleged M/s Pearl Agro Corporation Limited pertaining to investors' fraud involving amount to the tune of ₹49,000 crore. Further, an FIR has been registered against the associates of late Nirmal Singh Bhangoo for illegally disposing of properties of M/s PACL and associate entities. Today, a search is being conducted in this connection at over 15 locations, including residential premises of Khachariyawas and Kulwant Singh (an associate)."

The search started at around 6.30 am at Khachariyawas's Jaipur-based residence.

However, the matter sparked fresh political salvo as the former minister and other senior Congress leaders slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government for "misusing the agency's power against the opposition parties".

Khachariyawas said that the BJP is politicising these central agencies. "Such agencies like ED and IT have their rights to conduct search operations. I will cooperate with them. I am not scared of anyone. The BJP should not do this politics of misusing ED. I have currently no case against me, not even this PACL chit fund case."

He added: "I have elderly parents at my house. ED should have served a notice to me before coming here suddenly. It is wrong. They could have summoned me for a questioning. They can check the entire premises, the people should also know what is hidden on my premises. I know BJP's treatment. They can't bother me in this way. I have done nothing wrong. The BJP, which is a corrupt party, should be scared of their deed."