New Delhi: Day after a local court in Jaipur directed Rajasthan's Special Operation Group (SOG) to investigate the alleged role of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Rs 884 crore Ponzi scam case, Congress party, on Friday, demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack him from his ministerial post, so that a "fair investigation" can be done into the matter.
While addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "The role of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and his associates is astonishing in the much talked about Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society Limited scam. The society was registered in 2008 and has jurisdiction over Rajasthan and Gujarat. It is very active in both states."
He further explained, "A total of 2,14,472 investors have invested Rs 884 crore in this society till June 2019. After June 1, 2019, this society did not make any payment to any investor, even after the amount has matured."
Terming it as the "biggest Ponzi scam" in the state, Congress demanded PM to sack Shekhawat immediately. Earlier also, Congress made a similar demand over his alleged role in the attempts to topple Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan Government, as the party released audiotapes relating to the conspiracy.
Khera stated, "Till the investigation is not over, Shekhawat should either resign or PM sack him so that the probe can be conducted properly."
The Congress leader alleged that the loan journals of the society show huge financial irregularities in the loan process and hundreds of crores are given in a fake way.
The Society Director, Vikram Singh, a close aide of Union Minister, is currently in judicial custody since September 2019 over the charge of forgery.
"Loans worth Rs 1100 crores have been shown in the account books of the said society, most of which have been kept in the bogus category by the investigating agencies," said Khera.
He also claimed that 2,500 hectares of land were bought in Euthopia with a part of the investors' money, out of which 500 hectares are being used for banana cultivation. "They are not afraid of anything. They know CBI, ED and IT don't know their address," Pawan Khera said.
Congress alleged that this money us being used by the ruling party in an attempt to topple Congress Governments in various states through corrupted means.
Khera questioned, "If Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's bane crops up for the stabilizing the democratically elected government question is where are the funds of this 'Operation Lotus' coming from?"
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