CBI raids residence of CM Ashok Gehlot’s brother Agrasen Gehlot, Cong cries ‘vendetta’

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted raids at Jodhpur residence of Agrasen Gehlot, brother of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot. The CBI team carried out searches at his office also in a case of corruption.

Agrasen Gehlot is already under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and has been grilled by the agency sleuths in alleged fertiliser scam. The Chief Minister’s brother has a flourshing business in fertiliser trade. The charge against him is that his firm illegal exported large quantiites of fertilizers abroad between 2007-2009, when the Congress-led UPA government was in power.

The development comes amid nationwide protests by the Congerss party workers over ED questioning of Rahul Gandhi in alleged money laundering case. While Rahul Gandhi was questione by ED, CM Ashok Gehlot camped in Delhi and rallied behind the Gandhi scion.

According to reports, Agrasen Gehlot connived with officials to export a large amount of Muriate of Potash (MoP) to foreign nations, despite clear govt direction that this was meant for subsidized access to Indian farmers.

CBI raids underway at the residence of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s brother, Agrasen Gehlot in Jodhpur. pic.twitter.com/xwtkoK6bjn

— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2022

“MoP was for poor farmers but Agrasen Gehlot, through his company Anupam Krishi, bought it at cheap rates and sold it at steep rate to nations like Malaysia and Vietnam,” the ED had said in 2020.

The ED is also probing Saraf Impex and other companies for alleged money laundering. It was this company with which Anupam Krishi forged links and exported potash abroad, illegally. These exported fertiliser were meant to be allocated for the farmers of Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, the Congress is crying conspiracy by the ruling party to silence its critics. It has accused the Centre of resorting to witchhunt as Ashok Gehlot led the Cong protests in Delhi and made the ruling dispensation ‘nervous’.

“This is vendetta politics. Ashok Gehlot was at the forefront of the protests in Delhi over the past three days, and this is Modi government acts. We will not be silenced,” Mr Ramesh tweeted.