The Special Operation Group (SOG), Rajasthan police filed an application in the high court claiming that Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is an accused in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam and based on the investigation conducted so far, offences stand established against him.
The SOG also said that during the hearing of the criminal miscellaneous petition filed on behalf of Shekhawat on Thursday, it was inadvertently mentioned by the senior advocate for the state through video conferencing that the petitioner is not an accused, which was not factually correct.
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SOG’s additional director general (ADG) Ashok Rathore confirmed the development and requested the court to make appropriate corrections in the previous order.
Earlier, Shekhawat filed a criminal miscellaneous petition in the high court seeking protection from arrest, claiming that his name has not been mentioned in the case registered in connection with the alleged scheme.
During Thursday’s hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted that the petitioner (Shekhawat) is not an accused in any first information reports (FIR) filed by the SOG, hence there is no apprehension of him being arrested by the SOG/Rajasthan police following which the single bench of justice Kuldeep Mathur, after hearing the petition, noted that the petitioner (Shekhawat) is not an accused in any of the FIRs and granted a stay on his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}During Thursday’s hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted that the petitioner (Shekhawat) is not an accused in any first information reports (FIR) filed by the SOG, hence there is no apprehension of him being arrested by the SOG/Rajasthan police following which the single bench of justice Kuldeep Mathur, after hearing the petition, noted that the petitioner (Shekhawat) is not an accused in any of the FIRs and granted a stay on his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}The court further gave three weeks time to the state government to file its reply.
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In the application filed on Saturday it said, “When the matter was heard, senior counsel Singhvi representing the state appeared through video call in the matter, but the investigation officer being present at Jodhpur high court and not with him, inadvertently a submission was made that petitioner (Shekhawat) is not an accused, though in reality in FIR under section 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 of IPC [Indian Penal Code], 120B IPC and Section 65 of IT Act 2000, petitioner is an accused, as offences stand established against him based on the investigation so far.”
“The fact that petitioner is an accused in the said FIR as offences stand established against him based on the investigation so far is reflected in the case diary and was reflected in the factual report, which was not submitted due to it being a video conference hearing. The factual report finds mention of the name of the petitioner (Shekhawat),” the application to the court reads.
The state submitted that the placement and reflection of the correct stand that the petitioner is an accused, would not entail any consequential change in the interim order granted at this stage.
In 2019, the SOG registered an FIR against the multi-state credit cooperative society Sanjivani Credit Society for allegedly duping thousands of investors of ₹900 crore and arrested six office bearers of the society.
Six office bearers of the society were arrested in 2019.
Shekhawat’s name came up in connection with the scam after chief minister Ashok Gehlot alleged a few months ago that the Union minister and his family members were involved in the scam and claimed that there was evidence of their transactions.
On Thursday, after getting protection from arrest, Shekhawat hit out at Gehlot. Shekhawat alleged that Gehlot was attempting to misuse his authority to portray him as a criminal without evidence and that only the honourable court could determine the truth.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s district general secretary Mahendra Meghwal said that the senior advocate of the state government has argued in the high court that the Union minister is not an accused. Now by suddenly changing its stand, the state government has exposed its political malice.
Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said the probe in the matter is ongoing and if the evidence is found against any of the accused then action could be initiated. Rajasthan police is conducting an impartial probe, he said.
Union minister Shekhawat was available for comments.