Three legislators from Rajasthan were summoned for a second hearing before the state Assembly's Ethics Committee on Tuesday, facing serious allegations related to their local area development funds. The MLAs under scrutiny are BJP's Rewant Ram Danga, Congress's Anita Jatav, and Independent MLA Ritu Banawat.
Allegations and Committee Proceedings
The case originated from a sting operation conducted by a vernacular newspaper in December 2025. The MLAs were purportedly recorded in discussions about clearing works under their MLA Local Area Development (MLA-LAD) funds in exchange for commission. Following the emergence of the videos, the Ethics Committee, chaired by Bagru MLA Kailash Verma, initiated an inquiry.
This week's appearance was a follow-up session after the panel first heard the legislators on December 19. Chairperson Kailash Verma stated that the committee recorded detailed statements from all sides. "The MLAs placed their arguments and supporting evidence — both verbal and written," Verma told reporters. All three members have strongly denied any wrongdoing and submitted documents in their defense.
Defense and Parallel Investigations
In their submissions, the MLAs presented replies vetted by their legal teams, asserting their innocence and alleging a conspiracy. Speaking to the media, Independent MLA Ritu Banawat claimed, "In the clip circulated, I am not seen agreeing to any exchange of money. Conversations about money were initiated by the reporter." She further submitted records showing her annual ₹5-crore MLA-LAD allocation was already sanctioned prior to the sting operation.
A parallel investigation is also underway. Law-enforcement agencies are separately authenticating the sting videos as part of an inquiry led by a four-member high-level panel headed by the Chief Vigilance Commissioner. As a precautionary measure, transactions from the MLAs' MLA-LAD accounts have been suspended pending the outcome of the probes.
Next Steps and Potential Outcomes
The Ethics Committee will now examine the submissions in detail and may seek legal advice if required. "After a thorough review and legal consultation, the committee will arrive at a clear conclusion, which will then be placed before the Assembly Speaker," Verma explained. Sources suggest this could be the panel's final sitting unless the Speaker seeks further clarification.
The committee is expected to complete its process in the coming weeks. Its report is likely to be tabled during the Assembly's budget session starting January 28. Once the report is ready, the Speaker will table it in the Assembly, after which a decision on further action will be made. Potential outcomes range from censure to more severe disciplinary proceedings against the legislators.
