Chandigarh: Teams of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have recovered ₹5 crore in cash, gold biscuits weighing four to five kg, besides several foreign-made rifles and 300 cartridges from the premises linked with former legislator of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) Dilbag Singh, during its raids which were still on since Thursday.
The ED had launched raids against Singh, who was an INLD MLA from Yamunanagar as well as Surender Panwar, a Congress legislator from Sonepat as a part of money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in Yamunanagar district and other parts of the state.
Illegal Mining Linked To PMLA Case
This case stems from several police cases registered by Haryana police for illegal mining of sand, boulders and gravel in Yamunanagar and adjoining districts even after the expiry of the lease period and the ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The illegal mining was rampantly run by a ``syndicate’’ allegedly linked to the two accused politicians named above. Pertinently, Panwar and Singh were among the richest candidates in 2019 assembly polls with their declared assets being ₹27 crore and ₹34 crore, respectively.
Stating that raids were still continuing at around 20 different in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, sources said that over 100 liquor bottles, jewellery and documents pertaining to assets in India and abroad were also recovered from the premises linked to Singh and his associates.
Raids At BJP Leader's Premises
Meanwhile, according to media reports, the premises of a Karnal-based BJP leader, Manoj Wadhwa, were also raided by the ED teams, besides those of Singh and Panwar. Wadhwa had contested the 2014 assembly elections against chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar from Karnal.
He had later joined BJP. His wife, Asha, had also contested Karnal mayoral election in 2019 as an independent candidate. Wadhwa was also into the mining business in Yamunanagar and adjoining districts.
