The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided several places in Rajasthan, including the premises of a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, as part of its investigation into a money laundering case linked to the alleged Jal Jeevan Mission scam. Official sources gave this information. Sources said that a total of 25 premises in Dausa and state capital Jaipur, including the premises of Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of PHE (Public Health Engineering) Department, Subodh Aggarwal, are being raided. He said that action is also being taken against some other persons related to the case under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The central agency had conducted a similar raid in this case in September also. Assembly elections are going to be held in Rajasthan. Voting for the 200-member state assembly will be held on November 25. Along with Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana, counting of votes in Rajasthan will also take place on December 3. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has alleged that central agencies are working on the instructions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government at the Center to target the opposition.
The case is related to the FIR of Rajasthan Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB)
This matter is related to the FIR of Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). It has been alleged in the FIR that Padmachand Jain, owner of Shree Shyam Tubewell Company, Mahesh Mittal, owner of Shree Ganpati Tubewell Company and others were involved in obtaining illegal patronage, obtaining tenders, getting bills approved and various documents received from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). He was involved in “bribing” public servants for irregularities in his actions in relation to tenders.
Suspects purchased stolen goods from Haryana
The agency had earlier said in a statement that the suspects had procured the stolen goods from Haryana and used the same in their tenders/contracts and had also submitted fake work completion letters obtained from IRCON to get the PHED contract. Jal Jeevan Mission launched by the Central Government aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through household tap connections and is being implemented by the State PHED in Rajasthan.