ED raid on PCC chief, notice to Gehlot's son set off political fireworks
Jaipur, Oct 28: Thursday marked a highly eventful day for the Congress in Rajasthan as the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at the residence of Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasara. A notice was served to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav in a FEMA case as well.
According to sources, the ED sleuths stayed at Dotasara's Jaipur-Sikar residences for 8 hours as the raids are connected to the coaching academy in Sikar. There is evidence proving that 4 proxy companies existed instead of a direct partnership between the coaching centre and politicians.
After these raids, a political backlash started as CM Gehlot said that the Central government is using the ED like a locust swarm.
The ED has found evidence of four proxy companies instead of a direct partnership, confirmed sources.
They said, “the ED is trying to understand the money trail (money laundering and financial irregularities) related to Kalam Academy Centre. The ED is also trying to find out who are the people behind this and how the transactions were done.
On Thursday, ED officials reached the houses of Dotasara in Sikar and Jaipur almost simultaneously. Three officers reached the residence in Jaipur in 3 different vehicles. Three officers also reached the house in Sikar.
Dotasara was present at his residence in Jaipur. The ED took action at his Sikar residence in the presence of his son and family members.
According to sources, the ED officials did not interrogate Dotasara or his family members but just scanned the files, papers and diaries. No questions were asked to anyone about money, jewellery or other properties. A similar raid was conducted at his house in Sikar. The officials there too did not ask any questions, but only scrutinized the documents.
The ED officials remained in both the houses for about 8 hours. After this the teams returned to their offices.
According to sources, the name of Kalam Academy of Shekhawati had appeared in the paper leak case in the teacher recruitment examination. The state government had handed over the investigation to the SOG.
More than 60 people including RPSC members Babulal Katara, Sher Singh Meena, Bhupendra Saran, the main accused in the paper leak cases, were arrested by the SOG.
The SOG was investigating the case when the ED also joined in on the complaint of MP Kirori Lal Meena, and raided Kalam Academy located on Nawalgarh Road in Sikar on August 7.
In this raid, about 12 ED officers reached the academy in 3 vehicles. Kalam Academy has two buildings here. The ED raided the main premises of the administrative building.
Kirori Lal had alleged in the complaint that the name of Kalam Academy is linked to Dotasara. After this, he made these claims several times in public forums also.
In the previous raids, the ED examined the documents of Kalam Academy and of the directors. The data of the candidates preparing for the REET exam and registered in Kalam was taken.
On the basis of the complaint, a financial investigation was conducted in the academy. Records of money transactions, records regarding property like land etc. were also scrutinized.
According to sources, it had become clear to the ED through the raids two months ago that there are 4 proxy companies associated with Kalam Academy, in which transactions are taking place. According to sources, this is the main reason for the ED raid on Dotasara's house on Thursday.
The ED now wants to know how the money coming into Kalam Academy was distributed among the partners and how much of it reached the proxy companies and which people are connected with the proxy companies.
In a proxy company, a person makes another person a nominee in his own company. The nominee has all the statutory rights related to the company. The face of the company is also the nominee rather than the chief executive.
Kalam Academy was earlier also embroiled in a controversy after the REET 2021 paper was leaked. After this, the paper of the Senior Teacher Recruitment Examination was also out. In this case also the name of Kalam Academy figured.
The collusion of the coaching operators of Sikar also came to light during the interrogation of Bhupendra Saran and Sher Singh, involved in the REET, Senior Teacher Recruitment Examination paper leak cases.
During interrogation, it was found that Sher Singh had dictated the questions appearing in the question paper in the coaching centres even before the Senior Teacher Examination.
The ED got a clue that Sher Singh had dictated the questions at Kalam Academy.
Meanwhile, there has been a flurry of statements from politicians.
Former deputy CM Sachin Pilot said, “I strongly condemn the ED raid on Rajasthan Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasara. An ED summon has also been given to Vaibhav Gehlot, son of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The BJP cannot scare the Congress leaders with such tactics. All the leaders and workers of the state Congress are standing together in solidarity.”
BJP state president CP Joshi,, in response to questions regarding the ED action, attacked the Ashok Gehlot government saying that if the Congress government is honest, then why be afraid of the ED's raids?
"If his son and the party president are honest then he will be acquitted. They are creating a hue and cry, meaning there is something wrong. Ashok Gehlot's government has ravaged the state by becoming a corrupt termite for the entire 5 years. They have played with the future of millions of youth. More than 17 papers were out, but Chief Minister Gehlot ji did not take any concrete action,” he said.
Dotasara meanwhile said, “the BJP only wants to waste our time and scare us by taking such action. If I am dishonest, I am ready to stay in jail for the rest of my life.”