FIR lodged in Nashik against Ashok Gehlot's son for alleged fraud

Jaipur, March 19 (IANS) An FIR has been registered against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot, who's also the President of Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), in Maharashtra's Nashik district in connection with an alleged cheating case.

A Nashik businessman, Sushil Bhalchandra Patil, has accused Vaibhav Gehlot of committing a fraud of Rs 6.80 crore on the pretext of securing tenders in government departments, including for e-toilets under the tourism department of Maharashtra.

Patil lodged a case against 14 persons, including Vaibhav Gehlot, on March 17 at Gangapur police station in Nashik. The case has been registered following the order of a court. The main accused is Gujarat Congress secretary Sachin Purushottam Valera. Valera's father Purushottam Bhai Valera has also been a senior Congress leader.

According to the FIR, Sachin Valera, describing himself as an advertising executive, said that he had a contract for advertising at petrol pumps in 13 states. He claimed that he had good relations with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan and his son. He also claimed to look after the financial matters of Ashok Gehlot.

Sachin Valera assured of handsome profit for investing in his work and said that the investors have to participate in the tender bidding process as a mere formality. Vaibhav Gehlot will look after the rest of the work, he said, as per the complaint.

Sachin Valera gave all the details about this investment and showed circulars issued by the Rajasthan government, which were later found to be fake.

Even the tender documents of the tourism department shown by Sachin Valera were found to be fake during investigation. There were no tenders for e-toilets.

Later, when the payment was not received and the fraud was realised, the victim approached a Nashik court, which ordered the Gangapur police station to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, Vaibhav Gehlot said in a tweet that the reports doing the rounds in media are baseless and he had no cluele about the same.

"We all know that such manipulated facts will come to the fore as and when the elections near," he said.

Rajasthan BJP President Satish Poonia shared a Marathi news channel clipping on his Twitter handle and said, "The name of Chief Minister's son is being heard in these Marathi news. Hon'ble Chief Minister should clarify the situation. The people of Rajasthan are only trying to know the truth."

Leader of Opposition, Gulabchand Kataria, said, "The son of the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, who calls himself the 'Gandhi of Rajasthan', has been booked in a corruption case worth crores in Maharashtra on the order of the court. The Chief Minister should immediately present the truth in front of the public."