NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches against Congress leader and former minister Harak Singh Rawat as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. The searches took place at various locations in Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Chandigarh.
During his time as the state forest minister in the BJP Government, Rawat and some of his departmental officers faced serious allegations regarding illegal tree cutting and construction in the Pakhro range of Corbett Park under the Tiger Safari Project.
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) reported that over 6,000 trees were illegally cut in the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) for the Pakhru tiger safari, despite only 163 trees being permitted. However, the state forest department disputed the FSI’s findings, citing unresolved technical issues with the report.
Rawat, joined Congress in 2022, after quiting BJP ahead of the 2022 Uttarakhand assembly polls.
The ED on Tuesday also conducted searches at the residences of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s personal secretary, Bibhav Kumar, and some people associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
According to reports, around 10 premises in the national capital were covered.
Following the raid, Delhi minister Atishi slammed ED and accused the agency of pressuring witnesses and individuals accused of crime to provide statements against Aam Aadmi Party functionaries. She also said ED had destroyed crucial audio files of investigative material.
(With agency inputs)
During his time as the state forest minister in the BJP Government, Rawat and some of his departmental officers faced serious allegations regarding illegal tree cutting and construction in the Pakhro range of Corbett Park under the Tiger Safari Project.
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) reported that over 6,000 trees were illegally cut in the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) for the Pakhru tiger safari, despite only 163 trees being permitted. However, the state forest department disputed the FSI’s findings, citing unresolved technical issues with the report.
Rawat, joined Congress in 2022, after quiting BJP ahead of the 2022 Uttarakhand assembly polls.
The ED on Tuesday also conducted searches at the residences of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s personal secretary, Bibhav Kumar, and some people associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
According to reports, around 10 premises in the national capital were covered.
Following the raid, Delhi minister Atishi slammed ED and accused the agency of pressuring witnesses and individuals accused of crime to provide statements against Aam Aadmi Party functionaries. She also said ED had destroyed crucial audio files of investigative material.
(With agency inputs)