Bhagirath Choudhary, Minister of State for Agriculture, returned ₹99 lakh he received for a commercial cucumber project on his Rajasthan property in Peeh village. The subsidy, part of a horticulture scheme under his ministry, was credited to his bank account in March 2026 following NHB approval. Choudhary, a lifelong farmer and BJP MP from Ajmer, defended following all rules and using the farm for training, while the Centre confirmed no guidelines bar public officials from such aid. The refund came a month after an Indian Express report highlighted the issue, with another BJP MP also noted as a recipient of smaller funds.
