Punjab Illegal Sand Mining Case: ED Raids CM Channi's Relative, Others Ahead Of Polls

The raids conducted by the enforcement agency were a part of a money-laundering probe against the 'sand mafia' and firms linked to alleged illegal sand mining in Punjab.

(Image: ANI)

Chandigarh: With weeks left for the much-awaited Punjab Assembly Elections, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids on multiple locations in the poll-bound state including those linked to the relative of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. 

According to reports, ED seized around Rs 6 crore in cash during the action out of which around Rs 4 crore was recovered from a Ludhiana located premises linked to Bhupinder Singh alias Honey, the nephew of Channi's sister-in-law.

The raids conducted by the enforcement agency were a part of a money-laundering probe against the 'sand mafia' and firms linked to alleged illegal sand mining in Punjab.

Cities such as Chandigarh, Mohali, Ludhiana and Pathankot were covered by the officials of the federal agency.

ED along with an armed escort of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel conducted the raids till late evening under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Reacting to the development, Channi told reporters that relatives of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were raided during the Assembly Polls last year in that state and the "same pattern" is being followed by the ED in Punjab.

Punjab CM also alleged that the raids were done to 'pressure' him, his ministers and Congress party members. "We are ready to handle the pressure...," he said, adding he had no links with the case.

Sources close to news agency PTI said that Honey's links with a person identified as Kudratdeep Singh are being investigated by ED and the latter is the focus of their action. They said Honey and Singh are partners in a firm.

It is also being said that the ED action has been initiated after taking cognisance of a 2018 FIR of the Nawanshahr (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district) Police and some other such police complaints.

Police FIR is only the start of an investigation and once the ED takes over a case under the PMLA, it is empowered to enlarge its probe to verify the role of all those who are linked to the alleged illegal activity.

Sources further said that mining was being carried out at non-notified areas and the 'sand mafia' was diverting and laundering the illegally earned monies into creating personal and benami assets.

(With inputs from PTI.)