"Nothing new...": Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on ED raids in Rajasthan

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 26 : Reacting to raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the residence of Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara, Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Thursday said that this is "nothing new".
"This is nothing new. Wherever there is an election, such legal actions take place. When an election is around the corner, the ED will take action against the Congress leaders and the whole country knows this," Khachariyawas told ANI.
"They have the right to take legal actions. But let us know why it was taken. We have committed no sin, in fact, we put behind bars those responsible for the paper leak. There should be no revenge in politics. Have we ever taken politically motivated action against any BJP leader in Rajasthan? The BJP should abstain from doing such things", he added.
The ED earlier in the day conducted raids on Rajasthan Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara and MLA Om Prakash Hudla 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 central probe agency has also summoned Ashok Gehlot's son and Congress leader, Vaibhav Gehlot in connection with the paper leak case.
Meanwhile, the ED raids have triggered sharp reactions from the Congress leaders with the latter condemning the move.
CM Gehlot launched an attack on the central government ruled by the BJP stating that the latter does not want that women, farmers and poor in Rajasthan should get the benefit of the guarantees given by 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. Now you can understand what I have been saying that ED's everyday raid is happening inside Rajasthan because BJP does not want women, farmers and the poor in Rajasthan should get the benefit of the guarantees given by Congress", Gehlot posted on social media app X.
Congress national president Malliakarjun Kharge wrote on 'X', "As soon as elections come, 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".
The Enforcement Directorate today also conducted search operations at nearly a dozen locations in Rajasthan in connection with the paper leak case.
Earlier this month, the ED conducted search operations at the 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), 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.