On Saturday, former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat was summoned to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Dehradun as part of a probe into alleged irregularities in the 2016 state recruitment exam.
After leaving the office, Rawat told reporters that the visit was not a summons but the BJP’s ‘power and arrogance’, saying the ruling party’s anxiety over the upcoming assembly elections prompted the move.
The interrogation lasted nearly five hours. Rawat said the interaction was cordial and that he had explained the reality to the officials, noting that he had informed them of ‘their masters’.
Ganesh Godiyal, the Congress state unit president who accompanied Rawat, accused the BJP of using agencies such as the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department to intimidate opposition ahead of the elections.
The case concerns alleged irregularities in the 2016 Village Panchayat Development Officer recruitment conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission. The ED conducted searches in Dehradun on Sept 10, including the residence of Rawat’s personal assistant, Chandan Singh Jeena. Rawat said the notice demanded extensive documents, including past income‑tax returns and details of his and his family’s assets, and that he was unsure which family members were covered.
On Sept 12, Rawat announced his decision to step down from all party posts after the ED recovered cash and jewellery from his assistant’s house.
