Jaipur, April 27: The Rajasthan BJP on Tuesday demanded the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the Centre to probe into allegations of favouritism and financial irregularities by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Releasing fresh documents related to these allegations simultaneously at Kota and Jaipur, party’s national secretary Kirit Somaiya and State party spokesman Sunil Bhargav said that since the party had provided all relevant documents, Gehlot himself should come forward for a probe into the allegations.
Bhargav said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot, a lawyer by profession, was not even an income tax payee till 2008. But recently he filed income tax returns for three years and has shown a decent earning for providing legal consultancy to certain companies.
He said the total turnover of Om Metal was just Rs 50 crore till 2008. But this company, where Vaibhav is a legal consultant, was awarded contracts worth Rs 1,500 crore since Gehlot became the Chief Minister in December 2008. The contracts were awarded in areas where the company had no past experience.
Within a month of his appointment, the junior Gehlot as legal consultant of Triton Hotels and Resorts was allowed to convert sizeable agriculture land to build a hotel on the Jaipur- Delhi national highway
Bhargav said Gehlot himself had admitted that he was close to Mofatpal Munot, owner of Kalpataru group of companies, for the past 32 years. His son-in-law, Gautam Ankhad and daughter Sonia, were made directors of one of the companies of the group.
They were given a residence in Lal Baug locality of Mumbai, the market value of which is estimated around Rs 7 crore, although the couple had investments totaling just a lakh rupees in the company.
Returns submitted by the company revealed that Rs 84 lakh was paid by Munot at the time of purchase of the flat, whereas the couple contributed only Rs 2 lakh.
–Agencies–