Harish Rawat, who had been serving as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, has resigned from all his posts in Congress after cash and gold were found in Dehradun’s house of his personal assistant, Chandan Singh Jeena. These raids have been conducted as a part of the ongoing money laundering case, which involves allegations of OMR sheet manipulation in the 2016 UKSSSC recruitment examinations.
The resignation from the Congress Working Committee and state executive was made due to the desire to protect the integrity of the party’s anti-corruption platform.
ED raids and seizures at Chandan Singh Jeena’s residence
The raids were conducted by federal investigators at multiple properties in Dehradun connected to the former officials of the commission, private computing agencies, and alleged middlemen.
Cash and valuables: Unexplained cash amounting to Rs 32 lakh was found in searches at Jeena’s residence along with 13 gold coins and 7 gold chains of the total weight of around 200.5 grams.
Luxury assets: 12 luxury watches of brands like Rolex, Rado, and Tissot along with freezing the family bank accounts with the balance of Rs 52.16 lakh.
Money laundering case: The money laundering case was initiated following FIRs filed by Uttarakhand Police regarding Gram Panchayat Vikas Adhikari exams where OMR sheets were removed from secure storage to change answer bubbles illegally.
Response to FIR and defence of Jeena by Harish Rawat
Posting on social media, Rawat admitted being in professional relations with Jeena for years and doubted these allegations.
Long-time partner: Prior to FIRs, Jeena worked as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) under Rawat when he was a Chief Minister in the period of 2014-2017.
b: Describing his aide, Rawat emphasized his humble and diligent personality and stated that he would feel humiliated if there is evidence proving that he had tampered with recruitment documents.
Political perspective: Pointing out the election year, Rawat accused opponents of designing the raids in order to build up a political narrative against him.
Reasons for resigning from posts in Congress party
In order to protect the opposition camp from further political damage, Rawat decided to step back from important posts in the party.
Positions that were given up: Rawat resigned as a permanent invitee to the National Congress Working Committee and Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee executive.
Protecting the campaign: Referencing Rahul Gandhi’s focus on educational corruption, Rawat maintained that controversies surrounding his circle should not undermine the party’s broader messaging.
Future outlook: With no active government office to vacate, Rawat opted for a clean break from organizational duties while legal proceedings against his former aide continue.
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply