Rajasthan: Former MLA arrested by ED in 'embezzlement' case, alleges conspiracy

Jaipur, Feb 4 (PTI) A former Rajasthan legislator arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of alleged embezzlement of MLA Local Area Development on Wednesday claimed he was being targeted under a "conspiracy" and asserted that he would emerge stronger despite what he termed false cases against him.

Former Behror MLA Baljeet Yadav, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from Shahjahanpur in connection with a probe linked to the alleged misappropriation of Rs 3.72 crore during 2021-22 late Tuesday, told reporters that he was being deliberately framed.

"Truth will prevail. I have been made a victim of a conspiracy. I will definitely break this conspiracy and come out of it. No matter how many false cases they try to trap me in, Baljeet Yadav will not be crushed. A continuous conspiracy is being hatched," he said while he was escorted out of the ED office here today.

Yadav further alleged that he was being defamed for political reasons. He claimed that BJP MLA from Behror, Jaswant Yadav, was attempting to settle his son politically by tarnishing his image.

The ED has alleged that funds earmarked under the MLA Local Area Development scheme were misused in the procurement of sports equipment for government schools in the constituency. The case was registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following a first information report by the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau, officials said. PTI AG AKY AKY