Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot calls CBI raids on his brother a revenge action

Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called the raids on his brother’s business and other premises on Friday by the CBI a revenge action. He said the raids on the premises of his brother Agrasen Gehlot were a fallout of his participation in the Congress protest in New Delhi against Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald case.

.“Why is the revenge of my participation in the protests being taken on my brother?”

The Rajasthan chief minister also said that neither his brother nor his family is connected to politics in any way.

The CBI raided the business and other premises of his brother, a fertilizer dealer in Jodhpur in an old case relating to the sale of Potash which has been described as a fertilizer scam.

Gehlot said after his return from Delhi that he had sought an appointment with the Director of the CBI and also the Enforcement Directorate on June 13. Two days later, the CBI registered a case against his brother and on June 17 the CBI raided the premises of his brother.

“ This approach is beyond comprehension and I relate it directly to my participation in the Congress protest against the summoning of Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The revenge is being taken on my brother through the CBI raids” said Gehlot.

Gehlot said that his brother and other family members are not in politics. "My brother Agrasen Gehlot is doing business for the last 40-45 years..", he added.

Gehlot further said that like Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brothers, little was known about his family members too. “No one knows his (PM Modi's) brothers. Similarly, no one knew my brother. Now the media is running news that CBI raids were done at my brother's residence. What is the fault of the family members of those who are in politics.”

On Friday morning, the CBI’s searched Agrasen Gehlot's residence in Jodhpur. The searches were carried out in connection with alleged corruption related to the export of fertilizer meant for farmers and subsidies being claimed on it. Searches were also carried out at 16 other locations in three states.

A case has been filed by the CBI against Agrasen and 14 others in the alleged fertilizer scam

The Congress said the raids against Gehlot’s brother are vendetta politics, adding the party will not be silenced by such tactics.

"This is vendetta politics beyond all bounds. Ashok Gehlot was at the forefront of the protests in Delhi over the past three days, and this is Modi Government's brazen response! We will not be silenced," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said that the raids on the premises of Ashok Gehlot’s brother were a revenge action that proved that the various agencies like the CBI, ED, and Income tax are working under the pressure exerted by the high-ups in the BJP government.

He said there was nothing shady in the National Herald case and no FIR was filed in this case. Pilot said the Modi government has unearthed a seven-year-old case to falsely implicate Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on money laundering charges.