CBI searches Chennai property of former UPA minister Jayanthi Natarajan

Chennai: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday evening searched the premises of former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan in Chennai.

An FIR has also been lodged against the former minister under Section 120B Prevention of Corruption Act for abuse of "official position and criminal conspiracy".

CBI also filed an FIR against Electrosteel Casting Ltd and others under Section 120B PC Act.

The central agency is also conducting raids across Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Ranchi and Odhisha in connection to the case.

The lawyer-politician, formerly a member of the Congress Party, was thrice elected to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu.

At a press conference in January, 2015, Natarajan announced she had resigned from the Congress alleging the party machinery, led by general secretary Rahul Gandhi, had “maligned” her.

In a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi, she said she was being made the scapegoat for the policy paralysis in the then UPA. She said her stance on certain industrial projects – halting them – was seen as an impediment to the then government’s changing attitude from pro-environment to corporate-friendly during the run-up to the 2015 general elections.

With Agency Inputs