Rajasthan HC Grants Interim Relief To Shekhawat, Orders Stay On Arrest

The Rajasthan High Court today granted interim relief to Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society case and ordered a stay on his arrest.

The minister filed a criminal miscellaneous petition seeking relief in the matter although he’s not mentioned as an accused in the FIR registered in the connection with the alleged scam of more than ₹900 crores. The Rajasthan Special Operations Group is investigating the case.

A bench of Justice Kuldeep Mathur heard the petition and granted a stay on the arrest. The court then listed the matter for further hearing after three weeks.

Shekhawat moved a petition on March 24 for quashing the FIR in the case and transferring the probe to the CBI. His counsel Dhirendra Singh Daspan stated that they sought a transfer of the investigation to the CBI on the grounds that the state has no jurisdiction in the matter.

Therefore, the Union minister’s move came following Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s continuous attack, accusing him and his family of being involved in the misappropriation of depositors’ money in the name of huge return on their deposits.

Shekhawat also filed a criminal defamation suit in the Delhi court against Gehlot, saying that the Congress leader made false allegations that caused irreparable damage to his reputation.

Meanwhile, Gehlot demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sack Shekhawat as Union minister for his alleged involvement in the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society case.

The chief minister told the reporters in Jaipur that “He has no moral right to remain a Union minister. The prime minister should sack such a minister.”