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Rajasthan: Ex-minister links raids at premises to his move to quit BJP
On Wednesday, the ACB said the agency’s Banswara unit searched Malviya’s two petrol pumps and a crusher plant station over allegations of irregularities
Rajasthan’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raided three locations linked to the former minister Mahendrajeet Malviya days after he quit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and rejoined the Opposition Congress.
On Wednesday, the ACB said the agency’s Banswara unit searched Malviya’s two petrol pumps and a crusher plant over allegations of irregularities. He said no case has been lodged. “Our team spoke to some of the staff of the two petrol pumps and collected some documents and relevant information for further investigation.”
Malviya denied any irregularities. “I am innocent...there are no irregularities in my petrol pumps and crusher plant. Hence, I returned [to Banswara] immediately so that they would not think I was fleeing. The ACB officials did not ask me a single question.” He added that they are trying to put pressure on him as he quit the BJP.
Malviya announced his return to Congress on Sunday, saying he was feeling “suffocated” in the ruling party. He joined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election
Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi described the raids as the BJP’s usual tactic of threatening politicians by misusing agencies. “Malviya exposed the BJP to the public, and therefore they sent the ACB.”
Malviya, a four-time assembly member from Bagidora and a former parliamentarian, served as a minister in the previous Congress government from 2021 to 2023. He retained his Bagidora seat in the 2023 assembly election but resigned and switched to the BJP in February 2024. Malviya contested the Lok Sabha election from Banswara but lost to Bharat Adivasi Party’s Rajkumar Roat.
