Gehlot’s brother skips ED summon in fertilizer scam case

New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s elder brother Agrasain Gehlot on Wednesday skipped the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summon for questioning in connection with an alleged Rs 150 crore fertilizer scam.

According to ED sources, Agrasain Gehlot, proprietor of Anupam Krishi was asked to appear before the financial probe agency sleuths in connection with the money laundering probe at its headquarters in the national capital.

The source said that the agency will soon issue fresh summon on Agrasain Gehlot for questioning in the coming days.

Last week, the financial probe agency carried out searches at 13 locations including the residential and official premises of Gehlot and others in Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat and Delhi. The ED searches were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED has filed a case under the PMLA based on a Customs Department complaint and chargesheet in the alleged fertilizer scam case.

According to ED officials, Anupam Krishi, a company owned by Agrasain Gehlot, was involved in exporting Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertilizer, which is banned for exports. MoP is imported by Indian Potash Limited (IPL) and distributed among farmers at subsidised rates.

According to officials, Agrasian Gehlot was an authorised dealer for IPL and between 2007-09, his company bought MoP at subsidised rates and instead of distributing to farmers, sold it to few other companies, who in turn exported it to Malaysia and Singapore in the guise of industrial salt.

The searches came in the backdrop of a political crisis in Rajasthan after the rebellion by then Deputy Chief Minister and PCC President Sachin Pilot, who was sacked from these posts on July 14.

The case was unearthed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in 2012-13. The BJP had raised the issue in 2017.

–IANS

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