The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Wednesday raided the premises of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s brother on Wednesday as part of countrywide raids in connection with a money laundering case linked to a “fertiliser scam”. Agrasen Gehlot is facing a Rs 7 crore customs penalty in the alleged scam, officials said.
Searches are currently underway in at least 13 places in Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat and Delhi.
The ED has filed a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on a Customs department complaint and chargesheet in the case. Agrasen is accused of exporting subsidised fertilisers meant for farmers between the years 2007 to 2009, when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre.
In 2017, the BJP had alleged that the “fertiliser scam” came to light after customs officials caught a consignment exported by a firm owned by Agrasen. The fertilizer exports are restricted as they were meant for domestic use.Six places in Rajasthan, four in Gujarat, 2 in West Bengal and one location in Delhi are being raided by the agency under the PMLA, they said.
