Jaipur, Feb 4 (NationPress) Former MLA from Behror, Baljeet Yadav, appeared before a special Enforcement Directorate (ED) court in Jaipur on Wednesday regarding an alleged money laundering case and was remanded to a three-day ED custody.

The next hearing is scheduled for February 7.

The ED had requested a six-day remand, which was contested by Yadav’s legal counsel. Special Judge Khagendra Kumar Sharma delivered the ruling after nearly five hours of discussions.

Yadav was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegedly misappropriating over Rs 3 crore from the MLA Local Area Development (LAD) Fund.

He was taken into custody late Tuesday night from the Shahjahanpur toll plaza in Alwar, located near the NHAI office along the Delhi-Jaipur highway. He was subsequently transported to the ED office in Jaipur for interrogation and formal arrest.

In court, Yadav claimed he was a victim of a political vendetta, asserting he was falsely accused as part of a conspiracy.

He alleged that the current Behror MLA, Jaswant Yadav, intended to nominate his mentally challenged son for MLA and mentioned his own battle with stage-four cancer. “I am being framed due to a political conspiracy,” he expressed to reporters.

During the proceedings, the court inquired whether officials from the Panchayat Samiti and the beneficiary account holder had been designated as accused.

Yadav’s defense argued that the tenders were issued and published by the Panchayat Samiti and that he had no involvement in the tendering process.

The defense also highlighted an ongoing property dispute between Yadav and the individual whose company allegedly received the funds.

The defense claimed political bias, suggesting no action would have been taken if Yadav had joined the BJP, and deemed the arrest illegal.

Additionally, it was noted that Yadav had repeatedly informed the ED in writing of his willingness to cooperate with the investigation whenever summoned.

Contrarily, the ED asserted that Yadav established fictitious firms to misappropriate government funds and sought extended custody for further investigation, citing the discovery of incriminating documents and financial evidence.

As per ED sources, searches were conducted in January 2025 at ten locations associated with Yadav, comprising eight in Jaipur and one each in Dausa and Behror. Numerous documents and digital evidence were reportedly seized during these searches, serving as the foundation for the arrest.

The case involves the alleged embezzlement of Rs 3.72 crore during 2021-22, where sports kits, including badminton and cricket equipment, were procured for 32 government schools in the Behror constituency using MLA funds. The ED contends that payments were made without the actual delivery of goods or for substandard items.

Previously, an FIR had been filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), leading to the ED's initiation of a money laundering investigation. In 2023, the ACB also conducted raids at Yadav’s residences and recovered sports equipment.

Formerly elected as an Independent MLA, Baljeet Yadav had portrayed himself as an anti-corruption advocate, staging extensive protests during the preceding Congress administration. He now finds himself in ED custody, confronting severe allegations of financial misconduct and money laundering involving crores of rupees.