Rajasthan
Ed Searches In State ‘anticipated’ As Elections Are Approaching: Cm | Jaipur News
Jaipur: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday accused the Centre of misusing its investigating agencies and said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches in the state were “anticipated” as the assembly elections are approaching.
The ED conducted searches at multiple locations in Rajasthan during the day in connection with a money laundering investigation into an alleged exam paper leak case for recruiting government teachers in the state. While the opposition BJP in the state defended the ED action, saying law will take its course, Congress said ED has come to Rajasthan on a “political task”.
Speaking to reporters on the side lines of an event here, Gehlot said the ED, CBI and the Income Tax department were “desperate” to enter Rajasthan. He asked why the ED was “intervening” when the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was doing such a good job in investigating the paper leak case.
“ACB is doing such a good job, why are you intervening? Earlier also, the ED was sent in a paper leak case but what happened after that? Why do you interfere without any reason,” Gehlot said. He said that ED should cooperate with ACB if the federal agency gets something in course of its searches. The CM said while he would welcome any action that is taken as per law, the action by the central government was taken for political vendetta and to create an atmosphere so as to defame the state government.
“ED’s arrival in Rajasthan was anticipated. People are saying ED officials who have come have been given a list (of names) and asked to see how many they can reach,” the chief minister said. “ED, CBI and Income Tax are yearning to enter Rajasthan… it is a good thing, but the state’s ACB has caught a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), and ED officials should tell their bosses why they are sending them to Rajasthan where the ACB is strong and has done excellent work,” he said in reply to a question on the searches.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, “Modi-Shah’s central government does this in every state before elections but the BJP should get rid of the misconception that elections are won by using ED-Income Tax departments. To win elections, one has to win people’s hearts.”
The state has witnessed a few instances where it was alleged that question papers for teacher recruitment were leaked, including in 2021 during the hiring of teachers by the state education board.
The ED conducted searches at multiple locations in Rajasthan during the day in connection with a money laundering investigation into an alleged exam paper leak case for recruiting government teachers in the state. While the opposition BJP in the state defended the ED action, saying law will take its course, Congress said ED has come to Rajasthan on a “political task”.
Speaking to reporters on the side lines of an event here, Gehlot said the ED, CBI and the Income Tax department were “desperate” to enter Rajasthan. He asked why the ED was “intervening” when the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was doing such a good job in investigating the paper leak case.
“ACB is doing such a good job, why are you intervening? Earlier also, the ED was sent in a paper leak case but what happened after that? Why do you interfere without any reason,” Gehlot said. He said that ED should cooperate with ACB if the federal agency gets something in course of its searches. The CM said while he would welcome any action that is taken as per law, the action by the central government was taken for political vendetta and to create an atmosphere so as to defame the state government.
“ED’s arrival in Rajasthan was anticipated. People are saying ED officials who have come have been given a list (of names) and asked to see how many they can reach,” the chief minister said. “ED, CBI and Income Tax are yearning to enter Rajasthan… it is a good thing, but the state’s ACB has caught a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), and ED officials should tell their bosses why they are sending them to Rajasthan where the ACB is strong and has done excellent work,” he said in reply to a question on the searches.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, “Modi-Shah’s central government does this in every state before elections but the BJP should get rid of the misconception that elections are won by using ED-Income Tax departments. To win elections, one has to win people’s hearts.”
The state has witnessed a few instances where it was alleged that question papers for teacher recruitment were leaked, including in 2021 during the hiring of teachers by the state education board.
