ED Raids 10 Locations Linked To Former Punjab Minister Ashu In Money Laundering Probe

The ED raided properties associated with former Punjab cabinet minister and Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu and others on Thursday as part of a money laundering probe.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids on Thursday (August 24) at properties linked to Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a former cabinet minister in Punjab and a Congress party leader. These actions are part of an ongoing investigation into potential money laundering, news agency PTI reported citing official sources.

Approximately 10 locations in Ludhiana and nearby areas are currently under scrutiny by ED officials, under the authority of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the report said. Accompanied by a security detail provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the investigation seeks to uncover any financial improprieties, it added. 

According to the report, the scope of the raids also extends to properties associated with close associates of the ex-minister, including Raman Subramanian, former chairman of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust, and Sunny Bhalla, a former municipal councillor.

"About 10 premises in Ludhiana and nearby locations are being searched by the ED officials under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), along with a security escort of the CRPF," the sources told PTI.

The focal point of the ED's inquiry into the Congress leader centres around allegations of irregularities and potential kickbacks in relation to compromised tenders for food procurement and its subsequent transportation, encompassing concerns about quality and adherence to standards.

This case falls within the framework of the Punjab vigilance bureau's First Information Report (FIR), which initially led to Ashu's arrest. Subsequently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him bail.

The vigilance bureau had initiated a case against Ashu in connection with alleged irregularities in the allocation of tenders for various labour, cartage, and transportation tasks associated with foodgrain lifting in Ludhiana.

Bharat Bhushan Ashu, once a top figure as the Punjab minister for food, civil supplies, and consumer affairs, continues to hold significance in the political landscape as the working president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC).