EOW to probe allegations against firm owned by ex-CM Trivendra Rawat's aide

The opposition parties led by the Congress also claimed that Panwar had quit as the director of the company after becoming the chief minister's advisor and made his wife the new director

The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) of Uttarakhand Police will investigate allegations of money laundering of around Rs 200 crore against a company owned by the wife of a close aide of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

The BJP leader had to quit the top office in March 2021 following a "collective decision" by the party. Sworn in as CM on March 18, 2017, he had just nine days left to complete four years of his tenure when he had to call it quits. The BJP retained power in the state in the Assembly polls held earlier this year.

The opposition parties led by the Congress have alleged that Dehradun-based Social Mutual Benefit Company Limited, owned by the wife of Rawat's former advisor K S Panwar, allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of thousands of people in a fraudulent manner from 2017 to 2020 and converted black money into white.

They also claimed that Panwar had quit as the director of the company after becoming the chief minister's advisor and made his wife the new director.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) V Murugesan on Tuesday said the investigation of the case has been handed over to the EOW and further action will be taken based on its report.

According to him, the enquire was ordered on the complaint of Independent MLA from Khanpur, ??Haridwar Umesh Kumar.

The allegations had first surfaced two years ago when state Congress president Karan Mahara and former party MLA Qazi Nizamuddin had raised the issue in the 2020 Winter Session of the Vidhan Sabha.

Demanding that the matter should now be probed properly, Mahara said the Congress will keep a close watch on the actions of the BJP government in the state.

The truth should come out after a thorough investigation. We are keeping a close watch on the actions of the government, if there is any lapse, we will play the role of the opposition in a strong manner," he said.