Chandigarh: The teams of Enforcement Directorate raided at least 10 premises linked to former Punjab minister and Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu and some of his associates in connection with the ongoing money laundering investigations at several locations in Ludhiana district.
Ashu, who was formerly Cabinet minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, is currently working president of Punjab Congress.
ED Raids Conducted Under PMLA
The ED teams which searched the said premises under different provisions of the prevention of money laundering Act (PMLA) were also accompanied by security escorts of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). According to media reports, searches were also carried out at the premises of former Ludhiana Improvement Trust chairman Raman Subramanian and former councillor Sunny Bhalla.
It may be recalled that the ED probe under PMLA against Ashu is based on the FIR lodged by the Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) in which he had also been arrested. He was later granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana high court.
VB Case Details
The VB had registered the case against Ashu for alleged irregularities in the allotment of tenders for labour, cartage and transportation for lifting of foodgrains in Ludhiana.
Notably, the VB had recently only attached four properties of Rakesh Kumar Singla, former deputy director of food, civil supply department and his wife Rachna Singla situated in Ludhiana.
Continued Legal Actions
A case dated August 16, 2022, under various sections of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against former Cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, his close associate Rakesh Kumar Singla and others at VB police station, Ludhiana Range in connection with illegal allotment of labour, cartage tenders to the various contractors for the year 2020-21.
It may also be recalled that state Congress has already been accusing the ruling AAP government for what it has termed as "blatant vendetta politics against Congress leaders" and condemned the registration of cases against Ashu as well as several other leaders including former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, former minister Brahm Mohindra, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Sukhpal Khaira, besides some others.
