BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Meena on Friday alleged that Rs 500 crore of black money and 50 kg of gold were kept in 100 private lockers in Jaipur in connection with the paper leak case and demanded the police to open them.
He made the allegation at a press conference in Jaipur, after which he headed to an office of a firm, where he claimed that the lockers were located.
The BJP leader claimed that teams of the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached the firm to examine the matter. There was no immediate confirmation from the two agencies.
Meena claimed that 50 of the lockers were functional and 10 of them belonged to some officials.
“Black money made from the government recruitment paper leak scam, the state information technology department scam and the Jal Jeevan Mission scam is there in the lockers,” he alleged.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said it was a collusion between the central government and Kirodi Meena to defame the state government.
Meena remained at the firm’s office in a commercial building on MI Road for nearly two hours and demanded that officials of the police and the income tax departments and other agencies intervene and open the lockers.
While Meena was at the firm’s office, the police reached the spot. Talking to reporters there, Meena claimed that the main gate of the firm has been sealed by police for security purposes.
Later, Gehlot said it was an attempt to defame his government.
“What do we have to do with the lockers? He went there (firm) with the media and sat on a dharna there. He keeps doing such things to remain in the news. He goes to the ED office and he makes false complaints,” Gehlot told reporters on Friday night.
The BJP MP has also alleged that Congress leader Dinesh Khodaniya and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party leader Spardha Choudhary were involved in the appointment of Babulal Katara as a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC). Katara had leaked question papers, he alleged.
Katara has already been arrested and interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the paper leak case.
Meena claimed that Khodaniya, who was close to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, was behind the paper leak cases and got Katara appointed as a RPSC member.
He alleged that Choudhary, who was formerly associated with the Congress, was also linked to Katara.
ED RAIDS ON GEHLOT’S CLOSE AIDE, 2 OTHERS
Meanwhile, the ED raided the house and office of Khodnia, who is an aide of Gehlot, in connection with the paper leak case. The probe agency also conducted searches at the premises of Ashok Jain, a Congress leader, and Spardha Choudhary, who is now associated with Hanuman Beniwal-led Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP).
The raids happened at nine places in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Dungarpur.
According to ED sources, Katara and Saran, involved in the paper leak, were recently taken on remand by the ED. Katara had given information about some other people to the ED during interrogation.
After the interrogation of Katara, the ED took Bhupendra Saran on remand for three days and interrogated him. Saran was also cross-questioned.
A secret team later investigated Khodania, Jain and Chaudhary for the last seven days.
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