ED questioned Rahul Gandhi's close aide for 3 days in money laundering case against TMC leader: reports

A close aide of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was recently questioned for 3 days by the Enforcement Directorate, according to the news agency PTI.

Alankar Sawai was questioned in relation to a money laundering case against Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale. Sawai, who is a former banker, is said to be the head of Rahul Gandhi's research team.

According to the ED, TMC leader Gokhale had said that Alankar Sawai paid him ₹23.54 lakh in cash for "social media work and other consultancy".

On being asked as to why Sawai had paid him in cash, Gokhale stated that only Sawai can answer this question, the ED told the court in its remand paper.

"Further, on being asked regarding any written agreement with Alankar Sawai in respect of social media work he stated that it was only verbal agreement with Alankar Sawai," the agency said.

The ED alleged that these cash deposits were received by Gokhale when he was a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Sawai is understood to have been questioned about these instances and his statement was recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Official sources said the questioning and confronting of the two has not helped them unearth the fund trail as stated by Gokhale even as Sawai purportedly denied making any cash payments.

(With PTI inputs)

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