In a money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) interrogated and recorded the statement of Alankar Sawai, a “close aide” of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. According to officials, the questioning was related to the case in which TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale was recently arrested by the agency in Gujarat.
He further said that Sawai was interrogated and had a face-to-face meeting with Gokhale in Ahmedabad for three days earlier this week. A former banker, Sawai is considered a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, and is said to be leading his research team.
The federal probe agency had summoned Sawai after arresting 35-year-old Gokhale on January 25 while he was in Gujarat police custody in connection with alleged financial irregularities in raising funds through a crowd-funding platform.
ED questions Gokhale about Rs 23.54 lakh deposited in bank
The ED, while seeking Gokhale’s remand that day, informed an Ahmedabad court that when asked about Rs 23.54 lakh deposited in cash in his bank account over a year, Gokhale had told the agency that “The amount was given in cash.” Alankar Sawai of the Indian National Congress for social media work and other consultations”.
When asked why Sawai paid him in cash, Gokhale said only Sawai can answer that question, the ED told the court in its remand paper. “Further when asked about any written agreement with Alankar Sawai regarding social media work, he stated that it was only a verbal agreement with Alankar Sawai,” the agency said.
Read also: ED can only investigate money laundering cases: Delhi High Court
What does ED say?
The ED alleged that these cash deposits were received by Gokhale when he was a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Sawai is understood to have been questioned about these cases and his statement recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
According to official sources, questioning and confronting the two did not help them trace the trail of the funds, as stated by Gokhale, even as Sawai allegedly denied any cash payment. It must be mentioned here that the money laundering case against Gokhale stems from an FIR by the Gujarat Police.
(With inputs from PTI)