"ED, CBI, IT become real 'Panna Pramukh' of BJP...": Malliakarjun Khrage attacks BJP

NEW DELHI: Reacting to the raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the residence of Rajasthan Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara, party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that as elections are around the corner, ED, CBI, and IT become the real "Panna Pramukh" of the BJP.

Taking to 'X', Kharge wrote, "As elections are around the corner, ED, CBI, IT etc. become the real 'Panna Pramukh' of BJP. Seeing its certain defeat in Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Party made its last move! After Chhattisgarh, ED has also started action against Congress leaders entering the assembly election campaign in Rajasthan".

"The dictatorship of the Modi government is fatal for democracy. We will continue to fight against the misuse of agencies, the public will give a befitting reply to the BJP', he added.

Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residence of Rajasthan Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara in connection with the Senior Teacher 2nd Grade Competitive Examination, 2022 Paper Leak case.

The raids were carried out at the official residence of Dotasara at Civil Lines in Rajasthan's Jaipur. The Enforcement Directorate is also conducting search operations at nearly a dozen locations in Rajasthan in connection with the paper leak case.

Meanwhile, the central probe agency has also summoned Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son and Congress leader, Vaibhav Gehlot in the paper leaks case. CM Gehlot also took a dig at the central government ruled by the BJP stating that the latter does not want the poor, farmers and women to get benefits from the guarantees provided by the Congress.

"Date 25/10/23- Congress launches guarantees for women of Rajasthan. Date 26/10/23 -ED raid on Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Ji Dotasara - Summons to my son Vaibhav Gehlot to appear in ED", the Rajasthan CM wrote in an 'X' post.

"Now you can understand what I have been saying that ED raid is happening everyday in Rajasthan because BJP does not want women, farmers and the poor in Rajasthan to get the benefit of the guarantees given by Congress", he added.

The raids that come even as the state is gearing up to go to the polls on November 25 have taken a political tone with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot calling an urgent news conference to address the issue later today. Earlier this month, the ED conducted search operations at seven residential premises of Dinesh Khodania, Ashok Kumar Jain, Spurdha Chaudhary, Suresh Dhaka and other individuals in the paper leaks case.

The searches were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Friday, officials said adding that various incriminating documents, copies of sale deeds of various properties, electronic devices and cash amounting to Rs 24 lakh were seized in the operation.