Congress president and Lok Sabha member from Rae Bareli, Sonia Gandhi, could face problems after party’s rebel  MLA from Rae Bareli Sadar,  Aditi Singh, in a letter to the Economic Offences Wing has demanded an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities in the Kamla Nehru Educational Society, which houses many prominent Congress leaders.

Speaking to media persons here on Monday , Aditi Singh said, “I have written to the EOW to investigate the financial irregularities in the Kamla Nehru Educational Society. The society never served the purpose for which it was constituted and the land was never used to promote girls’ education as mentioned in the bylaws of the society. Also, the conversion of land into freehold is unlawful as there are around 150 shops which provide daily bread to 600 people.”

“People who question the transparency of the PM Cares Fund should also reveal what they have done through this society. I have written to the EOW, the UP Chief Minister’s Office and the Home department to investigate the matter which involves financial irregularities worth hundreds of crores of rupees,” Singh said, taking a dig at Congress leaders and members of the society.

The MLA tweeted the letter and in a subsequent post she said, “Ironically, my colleagues & seniors question PM Cares Fund but shy away from maintaining transparency & accountability in their own family run & controlled societies.”

The Kamla Nehru Educational Society was set up in 1976 in the Civil Lines area of Rae Bareli at a yearly rent of Rs 1,135 from one Kailash Chandra hailing from Sidhauli. The society took the land on lease for 30 years for promoting education for girls. However, no construction activity has taken place on the land till date.

Eight members of the society have died till now, including former New Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s father-in-law Uma Shankar Dikshit, former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s personal assistant Yashpal Kapoor, and former minister Sheila Kaul, whose house was recently renovated in Lucknow to house Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra . 

In 2003, a new committee was constituted which included members of the Kaul family along with former Union minister Salman Khurshid and senior lawyer Lalit Bhasin. 

The Kamla Nehru Educational Society converted the land into a freehold property in 2003 and decided to sell the land in 2016. As per a rough estimate, there are around 150 shops which are the source of income for approximately 600 people.