Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday (April 21, 2026) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of mishandling the Adarsh Credit Cooperative Society scam cases, in which a large number of investors from the State were defrauded. He said the scam amounted to approximately ₹15,000 crore.

Addressing a press conference at his residence in Jaipur, Mr. Gehlot said while the Enforcement Directorate had attached assets in 2019, 2021 and 2024, the process for ensuring the repayment of investors’ money still remains unclear. “Under whose patronage was such a massive racket allowed to operate?” he said.

The Congress leader said the same law firm was appearing for the State in the Supreme Court and was representing a co-accused in the scam in another court case. This situation itself raised grave questions which the BJP government needed to answer, he added.

‘No response’

Mr. Gehlot said Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully had raised the issue recently, but the BJP government was unable to respond to the charge of “conflict of interest”.

The veteran Congress leader also touched on the topics of the fire at the Pachpadra oil refinery, the government’s handling of welfare schemes, agrarian distress, the law and order situation in the State, and women’s reservation in light of the rejection of the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha.

Raising concerns over the safety standards and delays in the refinery’s inauguration, Mr. Gehlot said that the fire, which erupted just a day before the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit, could be the result of oversight or psychological pressure for the early completion of the ₹79,400-crore project.