NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches against Congress leader and former minister Harak Singh Rawat in connection with forest scam case . 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.
Yesterday, ED also said that it has attached two properties worth Rs 26.19 crore from Janata Dal (United) MLC Radha Charan Sah in relation to a money laundering case.
ED in a statement posted on X (formerly Twtitter) said, “ED has provisionally attached 02 immovable properties to the extent of Rs. 26.19 Crore acquired by Radha Charan Sah, MLC, Bihar Legislative Council under the PMLA, 2002, in connection with money laundering case against M/s Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd”
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.
Yesterday, ED also said that it has attached two properties worth Rs 26.19 crore from Janata Dal (United) MLC Radha Charan Sah in relation to a money laundering case.
ED in a statement posted on X (formerly Twtitter) said, “ED has provisionally attached 02 immovable properties to the extent of Rs. 26.19 Crore acquired by Radha Charan Sah, MLC, Bihar Legislative Council under the PMLA, 2002, in connection with money laundering case against M/s Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd”
(With agency inputs)