Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s brother Agrasain failed to keep date with the Enforcement Directorate that had summoned him to appear before its office here on Wednesday in connection with the probe into the fertiliser scam.
The agency had conducted searches at his premises in Jodhpur last week amid the ongoing political turbulence in the State government triggered by the revolt of former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot. A dozen other premises in Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat and Delhi were also searched by the ED.
The agency is expected to summon Agrasain again to join the probe into the fertiliser scam.
The ED had registered a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after taking cognisance of a Customs Department case of 2007-09 and related chargesheet filed in 2013.
The fertiliser scam case refers to the Customs Department case relating to the alleged irregularities in the supply of subsidised Muriate of Potash to the farmers.
The Customs Department chargesheet filed in 2013 alleged that Agrasain and others diverted the MoP meant for the farmers and exported the item despite a ban on its export.
Agrasain is also facing a Rs 7 crore penalty slapped by the Customs Department in connection with the fertiliser scam case.