ED carries out searches at premises linked to former Rajasthan MLA

New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at nine premises linked to former Behror MLA Baljeet Yadav and persons and entities linked to him in Rajasthan and Haryana in connection with a money laundering probe into an alleged MLA-LAD fund scam in purchasing sports equipment for schools.

During the search operations, cash amounting to Rs 31 lakh, incriminating documents, and various digital devices were seized, the ED said in a statement.

The ED initiated the investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jaipur, under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Indian Penal Code, and Rajasthan Transparency in Public Procurement Act.

The FIR was registered based on the information shared by the ED. The probe revealed that Baljeet Yadav allegedly recommended the purchase of sports equipment for 32 schools under his constituency, the ED claimed.

Tenders were allegedly awarded to favoured entities created in the names of the ex-MLA's associates, namely M/s Balaji Complete Solution Pvt Ltd, M/s Surya Enterprises, M/s Rajput Sports Enterprises and M/s Sharma Sports Enterprises, flouting various norms.

The sports equipment supplied to the schools were found to be of allegedly "inferior quality and were supplied at highly inflated prices", the ED said.

"Further, the MLA-LAD funds paid to these entities were diverted to the relatives/associates of Baljeet Yadav for his wrongful gains," the ED said.

Yadav's reaction to the ED allegations is not immediately available.

Further investigation is under progress, the agency said. PTI ACB ARI

Source: PTI