Rajasthan tapes: Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat served notice by SOG for questioning

Rajasthan horse-trading case: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said he is ready to face any investigation and denied his involvement in the matter.

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police has served a notice to BJP leader and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over his alleged involvement in the horse-trading case to bring down the Ashok Gehlot government. Shekhawat confirmed that he has received a notice from the SOG to join questioning in the case.

The Congress has alleged Sekhawat’s role in a conspiracy to pull down the Ashok Gehlot government. Shekhawat comes from Rajasthan and has denied the allegations.

“Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police has sent a notice through my personal secretary. In the notice, they have asked me to record my statement and voice sample,” he said.

The ruling Congress had last week alleged that rebel MLAs in Sachin Pilot’s camp were plotting with the BJP to oust the Ashok Gehlot government. Two FIRs were filed after the Congress came out with the allegations and directly named Gajendra Singh Sekhawat.

The party had also released transcripts of audio clips and claimed these had voices of Gajendra Singh Sekhawat and rebel MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma.

Shekhawat said he is ready to face any investigation and denied his involvement in the matter. The minister said he will definitely go for questioning.

“I first want them to check the authenticity of the audio clips, with whose permission was it recorded? Who recorded it? First they should come out with authenticity. I have already said that my doors are always open for any kind of enquiry,” Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, said.

Last Friday, a middleman named Sanjay Jain, also named in the FIR, was arrested by the SOG for his role in the conspiracy against the Gehlot government. The Congress has claimed links between Jain and the BJP but the latter has denied links. The BJP has accused the Congress of trying to malign its leaders and blaming others for its internal crisis. The BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the entire matter and alleged that the Congress government in Rajasthan was tapping phones illegally.