Congress condemns ED's raid at former Rajasthan Minister's residence, BJP defends agencies' act

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 15 (ANI): After the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted raids at the residence of former Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Tuesday, Congress condemned the development, while the BJP came out in support of the probe agencies' actions.
The Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Tika Ram Jully, condemned the central agency's raid at Khachariyawas' residence.
"Former minister and senior Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas ji is raising his voice against the BJP government. Fearing this, the BJP government has sent central agencies to his house. In 2020, an attempt was made to harass him in a similar manner. This action being taken against Pratap Singh Khachariyawas in the spirit of political revenge is condemnable," Jully posted on X.
The search is in matter of Pearl Agro Corporation Limited (PACL) pertaining to investor fraud involving amount of Rs. 48,000 crore. Further, FIR has also been registered against associates of late Nirmal Singh Bhangoo for illegally disposing off the properties of PACL and associate entities. In this case, ED's multiple teams are conducting raids at 15 locations across Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi, officials said.

Coming out in support of the central agencies, Rajasthan Minister and BJP leader Jogaram Patel defended ED's action and said that the agency works independently, and no one is being specifically targeted.
"In the BJP government, no work is done by targeting anyone. The ED or any other agencies work independently. His statement that they will do the same when their government comes to power is not right, especially as a public representative. Mentioning Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's name in this matter is not right," Patel said.
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa also reiterated that if anything wrong has happened, it will eventually come out.
"I am not aware of any such action taking place, but if it is happening and they are making allegations, then they are baseless because the agencies are independent. If anything wrong has happened, it will come out," Bairwa told ANI.
Reacting to the ED raid at his residence, the Congress leader Khachariyawas said he is cooperating with the agencies and has nothing to hide.
"Today, they have come here to conduct searches and raids; they can do it. I am going to cooperate with them. ED is doing its work, and I will do my work. I believe the BJP should not indulge in politics by using the ED. Pratap Singh Khachariyawas is not scared of anyone. I was not given any notice from the ED. They came here and conducted raids directly," said the former Rajasthan minister, while stressing that he is "not afraid of anyone".
Khachariyawas held the Transport portfolio in the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan.
"Officials are not at fault; they have to work as per the directions of the government. According to the Constitution, they have the right to conduct searches, and we will fully cooperate with them. They can search everything because we are not afraid of anyone. Whoever speaks against them (BJP), ED is sent to their house," he added.
Issuing a veiled threat to the BJP, Khachariyawas reminded the BJP of political shifts in the state's history.
"Governments keep changing, and time will change. Imagine what will happen to the BJP when Rahul Gandhi comes to power. You (BJP) have started these proceedings; we will also do the same against the people of BJP. They can do as many searches as they want; we are not scared. We will cooperate with the officers," the Congress leader said. (ANI)