Jaipur, Feb 4 (IANS) Former MLA from Behror, Baljeet Yadav, was produced before a special Enforcement Directorate (ED) court in Jaipur on Wednesday in connection with an alleged money laundering case and sent to a three-day ED remand.
The matter will be heard next on February 7.
The ED had sought a six-day remand, which was opposed by Yadav’s counsel. Special Judge Khagendra Kumar Sharma passed the order after nearly five hours of arguments.
Yadav has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the alleged misuse and embezzlement of over Rs 3 crore from the MLA Local Area Development (LAD) Fund.
The ED detained Yadav late Tuesday night from the Shahjahanpur toll plaza in Alwar, near the NHAI office on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. He was subsequently taken to the ED office in Jaipur for questioning and formally arrested.
While being produced in court, Yadav alleged a political vendetta, claiming he had been falsely implicated as part of a conspiracy.
He alleged that the current Behror MLA, Jaswant Yadav, wanted to field his mentally challenged son as an MLA and said he himself was suffering from stage-four cancer. “I am being framed due to a political conspiracy,” he told reporters.
During the hearing, the court sought clarification on whether officials of the Panchayat Samiti and the beneficiary account holder had been named as accused.
Yadav’s counsel argued that tenders were issued and published by the Panchayat Samiti and not by the former MLA, who had no role in the tendering process.
The defence also cited an ongoing property dispute between Yadav and the individual whose firm allegedly received the funds.
The defence further claimed political bias, arguing that no action would have been taken had Yadav joined the BJP, and termed the arrest illegal.
It was also submitted that Yadav had repeatedly informed the ED in writing of his willingness to cooperate with the investigation whenever summoned.
The ED, however, contended that Yadav floated fake firms to divert government funds and sought extended custody for further interrogation, citing the recovery of incriminating documents and financial evidence.
According to ED sources, searches were conducted in January 2025 at 10 locations linked to Yadav — eight in Jaipur and one each in Dausa and Behror. Several documents and digital evidence were said to have been seized during these searches, forming the basis of the arrest.
The case pertains to the alleged embezzlement of Rs 3.72 crore during 2021-22, when sports kits, including badminton and cricket equipment, were procured for 32 government schools in the Behror constituency using MLA funds. The ED alleges that payments were made without actual supply or for substandard material.
An FIR had earlier been registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), following which the ED initiated a money laundering probe. In 2023, the ACB also conducted raids at Yadav’s premises and recovered sports equipment.
Baljeet Yadav, who was elected as an Independent MLA, had earlier projected himself as an anti-corruption crusader and staged prolonged protests during the previous Congress government. He is now in ED custody, facing serious allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering involving crores of rupees.
–IANS
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