Rawat’s wife reaches ED office, questioned for two hours
Tuesday, 05 MARCH 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Former cabinet minister and Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat failed to present himself before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Dehradun on Monday stating that he was in Delhi for Lok Sabha election preparations. He has sought one month’s time from the officials. However, his wife Deepti Rawat appeared in the ED’s office at about 11 AM after which she was questioned for about two hours. The ED is investigating alleged illegal activities against him including the felling of thousands of trees, financial irregularities and unauthorised construction in the Pakhro tiger safari in Corbett national park in 2019. According to the ED investigation, Rawat’s close associate Birendra Singh Kandari along with Narendra Kumar Walia conspired with Rawat to illegally register two powers of attorney for a piece of land, the sale deed of which was later cancelled by the court. These accused also illicitly sold the land to Rawat’s wife and another woman, where the Doon Institute of Medical Science, Dehradun, was constructed under the Shrimati Poorna Devi Memorial Trust, as per the officials’ claims. The ED also conducted search operations last month at over 15 locations in Uttarakhand, Delhi and Haryana under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). These locations were allegedly associated with the accused involved in the case. According to the official sources, the ED seized cash of over Rs one crore, 1.3 kilogrammes of gold worth about Rs 80 lakh, foreign currency amounting to Rs 10 lakh, bank lockers, digital devices and several documents related to immovable properties during the raid. The ED had summoned Rawat and his wife on Monday to interrogate them about the case. This was ED’s second summon to the Congress leader. Informing about Rawat’s absence, his former public relations officer Vijay Chauhan said that Rawat and his wife are fully cooperating with the authorities regarding the investigation. He has been busy in meetings in Delhi due to the ensuing Lok Sabha elections considering which, he has sought one month’s time from the ED to present himself, Chauhan added.
