ED arrests CM Channi's nephew in illegal sand mining case ahead of Punjab Election 2022
The arrest comes weeks after raiding his homes and offices in connection with money laundering allegations related to an illegal sand mining case in 2018.
FollowThe Enforcement Directorate arrested Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh's nephew, Bhupinder Singh Honey, on money laundering charges in connection with the illegal sand mining case on Thursday night. The investigative agency interrogated him for eight hours. Honey Singh was summoned to Jalandhar for questioning in connection with the cash case, and he was unable to answer many questions. Later, he was arrested by police by the ED team. On Friday morning, he will appear in Mohali court.
During raids last month in connection with illegal sand-mining operations in Punjab, the ED seized over Rs 10 crore in cash, including about Rs 8 crore from Charanjit Channi's relative. The Enforcement Directorate said in a statement that during the searches, "incriminating" documents related to "illegal" sand mining and property transactions, mobile phones, gold worth more than Rs 21 lakh and much more.
After the raids, Channi had accused the BJP-led central government of hatching a “conspiracy” to “trap” him in the case ahead of Punjab elections 2022. The CM also chastised the BJP for attempting to exact "revenge" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return to Ferozepur without attending a scheduled event or addressing a rally earlier in January. Channi had referred to the ED raids as "vendetta politics" and claimed that his nephew had not even been charged in the case.
In Punjab, one of the campaign's focal points has been illegal sand mining. Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has accused the ruling Congress of being involved in human trafficking. Amarinder Singh, the former Chief Minister who resigned in September, claims that all Congress MLAs are involved in the illegal sand trade. Singh also told reporters that he had contacted Congress President Sonia Gandhi about the MLAs who had been engaged.
Also Read | Punjab Election 2022: CM Channi lashes out at Centre, terms ED raid 'a revenge'
Also Read | Punjab Election 2022: After ED raids on CM Channi's nephew, Congress says not afraid of usual BJP tactics
