New Delhi [India]: Responding to ED’s crackdown in Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the grand old party on Saturday alleged that the BJP at the Centre was ‘misusing’ the probe agency because the party is losing clearly in both the poll-bound states.
The Congress’ reaction came in the wake of the Enforcement Directorate’s claims made against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel over an alleged Rs 508 crore deal with Mahadev betting app promoters.
The claims by ED were made days after it summoned Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son, Vaibhav Gehlot, for questioning in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case.
ED had also conducted raids at the residences of state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara in the capital Jaipur and Sikar in the alleged paper leak case.
Reacting to this, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh addressed a press briefing here in the national capital and accused the BJP of ‘misusing’ the central agency in the poll-bound states.
“I only want to say that this is a clear misuse. It is revenge politics. It is only being applied because the BJP’s losing clearly. In both states (Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan), the trust is continuing. Once again, the Congress government will come,” the Congress leader said.
The Congress was replying to the BJP’s press conference, addressed by Union Minister Smriti Irani, in the national capital during which she asked the grand old party to come clean on ED’s charges at Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, alleged that the Enforcement Directorate had raided over 100 Congress candidates during Karnataka Assembly elections, earlier this year. “But we got 136 seats and are now ruling Karnataka,” Venugopal said.
He said, “Now, in all five states, (going to polls this month) including Mizoram, the public mood is very clear. In all the states, Congress is going to form the government”
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, BJP questioned whether it is true that Congress leaders received money from Mahadev app promoters to meet election expenses in Chhattisgarh.
Addressing a press briefing at BJP headquarters here, Union Minister Smriti Irani alleged that the Congress party is contesting the Chhattisgarh elections using hawala operators.
This came after the Enforcement Directorate on Friday said that they have intercepted a cash courier Asim Das who was sent from UAE especially, to deliver a large amount of cash for electioneering expenses of the ruling Congress party.
“ED on November 2 recovered Rs 5.39 crore (from arrested Asim Das). He has admitted that the seized funds were arranged by the Mahadev APP promoters to be delivered to one Politician ‘Baghel’ for upcoming election expenses in the state of Chhattisgarh,” ED had said.
The central agency claimed that Das had confessed that Rs 508 crore has been so far paid to the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister by Mahadev APP Promoters, a charge which Baghel denies.
“From the questioning of Asim Das, many startling allegations have come forth, namely, that regular payments have been made in the past and so far around Rs 508 Crore have been paid by Mahadev APP Promoters to Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. These are subject matter of investigation,” ED added.
Reacting to it, Smriti Irani asked whether Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh received money from Asim Das, who is in ED’s custody, on the orders of Shubham Soni, who ED says is one of the high-ranking accused of the Mahadev network.
“Yesterday, shocking facts regarding Bhupesh Baghel emerged before the country. More than Rs 5.30 Crores was seized from a man called Asim Das…Is it true that Congress leaders received money from Asim Das, via Shubham Soni? Is it true that Shubham Soni was ordered by Asim Das to go to Raipur and give money to Baghel as election expenses?” Smriti said.
The Union Minister said that Asim Das has confessed in his statement that he came to Dubai as ordered. “He was ordered that money be given for Congress’ elections expenses.
Asim Das has confessed that this money is from illegal betting under Mahadev App. Asim Das has confessed that Shubham Soni is a part of the top-level management of Mahadev Online Book,” she said.
“Congress party is contesting the Chhattisgarh elections using hawala operators. Chhattisgarh Police and Andhra Pradesh do not come under the administrative purview of the BJP. So, is Bhupesh Baghel questioning his own Government?” she added further.
