'No evidence': Rajasthan HC clears Union min Shekhawat in Sanjivani co-op scam

JODHPUR: Based on a clean chit from state police's special operations group (SOG), the Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday dismissed Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's petition to quash the FIR against him and restrict coercive action in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam. The single bench of Justice Arun Monga stated that there was no point in maintaining Shekhawat's petition if the SOG hasn't found his involvement in the scam at any level.
The decision was based on the SOG's report indicating there was no evidence against Shekhawat.The court clarified that the SOG cannot proceed with further investigations against Shekhawat without trial court permission, citing lack of evidence implicating him.
It's a victory of truth, says Shekhawat
Shekhawat's counsel, Aditya Vikram Singh, said the SOG report admitted that Shekhawat's name is mentioned neither in the FIR nor in any of the chargesheets. "He has not even been considered a suspect," Singh said.
During a hearing on Sept 17, the high court had instructed the SOG to clarify whether it intended to file a chargesheet against Shekhawat. On Wednesday, SOG submitted a detailed report confirming that there was no incriminating evidence against the Union minister.
Shekhawat was initially named in the scam as a director in some companies related to the case. SOG told the court that he had resigned from all of these posts and could not be held accountable for action taken after his resignation.
Reacting to the court's decision, Shekhawat called it a "victory of truth." He said the case was an attempt to smear his reputation and falsely implicate him. "It was an attempt to drag me into the case due to the frustration caused by someone's failed political ambitions, his son's election loss and BJP's victory," Shekhawat said, indirectly criticising former CM Ashok Gehlot.
Ahead of the assembly election last year, Shekhawat had accused Gehlot of intervening in the investigation.