Patel's 'PA' emerges as key link in 'cash-for-no-query' scandal

Jaipur: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has intensified its search for Rohit Meena, the personal assistant (PA) of Bagidora MLA Jaikrishn Patel, by conducting raids at five different locations, including Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Bharatpur, and Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Meena, who is on the run after allegedly fleeing with a Rs 20 lakh bribe, is now seen as a key link in the corruption case.

According to ACB officials, Meena, a native of Weir in Bharatpur, came into contact with Patel through an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer. He was not just close to Patel but also in touch with several other legislators. Before joining Patel's team, Meena reportedly worked at a dhaba in Bassi area, where he was accused of financial misappropriations.

ACB has deployed teams to raid places connected to Meena. These include his maternal uncle's residence in Agra and his wife's family home in Sikrai, Dausa. "We are carrying out raids at places linked to Meena," an ACB officer said, adding that Meena has emerged as a central figure in the ongoing bribery probe.

During interrogation, MLA Jaikrishn Patel alleged that he is a victim of political conspiracy and shifted blame onto Meena. ACB noted a potential link between Patel and Meena through a question raised by the MLA in the assembly about a mine located in Weir, the same town Meena hails from. Many of Patel's staff members also belonged to eastern Rajasthan, despite him representing the Bagidora constituency in Banswara.

The case unravelled after Patel handed over Rs 20 lakh in cash to Meena through his cousin Vijay Patel.

The money was allegedly intended as a bribe. After receiving the bag, Meena left the MLA's flat, took the elevator to the parking area, and rode away on a scooter. He discarded a GPS tracking device hidden inside the bag before handing the cash to his maternal uncle, Jaswant alias Laxman. Jaswant then gave the money to a man named Jagaram, claiming the funds were returned due to a failed property deal.

On May 5, ACB officials recovered the buried cash from Jagaram's backyard. Jaswant and Jagaram, who took custody of the money and attempted to hide it, were presented in court on Tuesday and remanded to one-day police custody. Their involvement, for now, is limited to helping conceal the money.

As part of the investigation, ACB sealed the server room at Patel's residence after discovering that the CCTV system was not working at the time of the incident. The spot where Patel allegedly handed over the cash to Vijay Patel was under surveillance, but no footage could be retrieved. The server room will now be opened in the presence of a forensic science lab team to attempt recovery of the recordings, which could be crucial evidence if they show the MLA carrying the cash.