ED SUMMONS GEHLOT’S KIN

Enforcement Directorate has issued summons to the Rajasthan chief minister’s brother, Agrasain Gehlot, to appear before it in Delhi on Wednesday in connection with its probe into the alleged money laundering in the export of fertilisers.

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued summons to Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s brother Agrasain Gehlot to appear at its headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in the export of fertilizers meant for Indian farmers, officials familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

According to an official who asked not to be named, the agency is required to question Agrasain Gehlot since he, through his company, played a key role in the alleged violations. The official did not give details of what the allegations were about.

ED’s probe is based on an investigation carried out by the customs department and the Directorate of Revenue and Intelligence (DRI) in 2009 in the export of Muriate of Potash or MOP, which is a restricted commodity for export under the foreign trade policy.

According to the probe, it is suspected that Gehlot’s company diverted about 35,000 metric tonnes of MOP valued at Rs 130 crore in international market.

The anti-money laundering probe agency had, on July 22, conducted raids at his premises apart from several companies and individuals in Rajasthan, Delhi and West Bengal.

A Customs’ department investigation report, reviewed by HT, alleges that Agrasain Gehlot’s company – M/s Anupam Krishi –played a key role in the export of MOP to companies in Malaysia and Singapore.