DEHRADUN: Following the Wednesday raids carried out by the Enforcement Directorate in Uttarakhand on Harak S Rawat and associates, substantial amounts of cash, gold, and important documents relating to assets were confiscated. On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate issued an official statement confirming the raids but refrained from explicitly naming former minister Harak Singh Rawat and IFS Sushant Patnaik. Instead, the focus was on individuals such as Birender Singh Kandari, Brij Bihari Sharma, and Kishan Chand. It’s widely known that Kandari has close ties to Harak Singh.During the searches, assets worth over a crore were seized, including cash, 1.3 kilograms of gold valued at 80 lakhs, foreign currency amounting to approximately Rs 10 lakhs, and substantial documentation regarding immovable properties. The connection between Birendra Singh Kandari and Harak Singh’s past is particularly noteworthy.The investigation also encompasses DFO Kishan Chand Sharma, who has been implicated in the Jim Corbett Safari scam. Furthermore, some individuals have faced legal repercussions for possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.In a separate operation, raids on former minister Harak Singh Rawat’s residence led to the seizure of Rs 3.90 lakh cash, linked to allegations involving illegal tree felling and disproportionate assets related to the construction of the Pakhro Tiger Safari project in Corbett Tiger Reserve.Harak Singh Rawat, a seasoned figure in Uttarakhand politics, expressed astonishment over the ED’s actions, especially concerning the possession of a bank locker key, which he claims holds no cash but suspects a potential conspiracy.ED raidsOn Thursday, ED issued an official statement confirming the raids but refrained from explicitly naming Harak Singh Rawat, IFS Sushant PatnaikSeizure of Rs 3.90 LRaids on former minister Harak Singh Rawat’s residence led to the seizure of Rs 3.90 lakh cash, linked to allegations involving illegal tree felling related to the Safari project construction
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