Another Gehlot minister lands in ACD net

Meghwal is the fourth Cabinet minister of the Gehlot government to land in the ACD net. Three of his colleagues were booked by the department a few weeks back, after they were found guilty of accepting bribes on camera from swinging land deals.

‘‘The ACD raids on Meghwal began on Tuesday morning following information from a source,’’ Additional Director-General P.K. Tiwari said.

‘‘We were informed that Meghwal had misused his powers as a minister and had amassed huge assets. The complaints were verified and found to be true,’’ he said.

Tiwari said documents in possession of the ACD indicate that the former minister had made huge investments in properties that include residential land, houses, mines, petrol pumps, agricultural land and in salt business. Sources reveal that Meghwal’s own son-in-law had turned an informer for the ACD after he was ill treated by the minister and his daughter and was thrown out of his house.

A copy of the complaint that formed the basis of the ACD raids is available with The Indian Express.

Details of Meghwal’s assets listed in the complaint indicate that the former teacher, who started his career as a sarpanch, has accumulated wealth running into crores of rupees.

Meghwal’s riches

• A petrol pump in his native town of Sujangarh, allotted during the NDA rule

• A huge bungalow in Sujangarh, rebuilt during his ministerial tenure, with imported marble and furniture

• A 36-bigha farmhouse close to his constituency

• Shops, industrial units and plots across the state

• Mines in Kota, salt fields near the famous Sambhar Lake

• Two houses in posh residential areas of Jaipur

• Nearly 10 kg of gold ornaments

• Huge reserves of cash in his family’s three bank accounts in Jaipur

• Three cars, including a Bolero and two Maruti Zens

• Apart from this, Meghwal had allegedly spent more than Rs 50 lakh on the wedding of his only son while he was the minister