Rajasthan Congress Chief's Home Searched By ED In Alleged Leak Of Exam Papers For Government School Teachers' Recruitment

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting searches at the residences of Rajasthan Congress chief, Govind Singh Dotasara, in Jaipur and Sikar.

These searches are part of an investigation into the alleged leak of exam papers for the recruitment of government school teachers that occurred last year.

ED officials, accompanied by personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force, are also conducting searches at locations associated with Omprakash Hooda, an independent lawmaker who holds the Mahuwa Assembly seat and has been given a Congress ticket for the upcoming election.

As of now, neither the Congress party nor Dotasara has issued a response to the ongoing searches.

However, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is expected to hold a press conference in response to these developments.

These searches come following the interrogation and subsequent arrest of Babulal Katara, a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission accused of leaking the exam papers.

Last week, the ED conducted raids at seven additional locations, including the residential premises of Congress leader Dinesh Khodaniya and others, during which Rs 12 lakh in cash and "incriminating" documents were seized.

The ED has characterised these actions as politically motivated, with Khodaniya expressing intentions to file a defamation case against BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena for alleging connections between him and the arrested Babulal Katara.

The ED's inquiry into this matter stems from police cases filed against the accused, alleging collusion in the leak of exam papers and their subsequent sale to candidates for a fee ranging from Rs 8 to Rs 10 lakh per candidate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought attention to this controversy, accusing the Ashok Gehlot government of compromising the future of Rajasthan's youth. He has also made reference to a "red diary" purportedly containing records of Congress's corrupt activities, pledging to expose them if the BJP is elected.

In response, Chief Minister Gehlot and other opposition leaders have criticised the actions of central agencies in poll-bound states and dismissed the allegations against his government.

The "red diary" has become a significant talking point in the run-up to the Rajasthan election, especially after Congress MLA Rajendra Singh Gudha brandished a red-colored diary that he claimed could reveal wrongdoing by Gehlot.