Jalandhar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at eight locations in Punjab and Chandigarh in connection with money laundering investigation worth ₹95 crore against Phagwara based Golden Sandhar Sugar mill, previously known as Wahid Sandhar Sugars limited, and related entities and persons.
The ED sleuths conducted search at mill premises in Phagwara, residence at Khurampur village and gym at Phagwara owned by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Jarnail Singh Wahid, who was previously co-owner of the mill with England-based NRI Sukhbir Singh Sandhar, who has not visited India after the registration of a Vigilance Bureau (VB) first information report (FIR).
Wahid, a former chairman of Punjab Markfed, remained associated as managing director of Wahid-Sandhar sugar mill. The sugar mill is presently operated by Rana Sugar Mills, owned by congress MLA from Kapurthala Rana Gurjeet Singh and his son and Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh, for the past over one year.
The federal agency initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR registered in September 2023 against Jarnail Singh Wahid, his wife Rupinder Kaur and son Sandeep Singh and nine others under several sections of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.
An ED official said the Punjab government had allotted 31.2 acres of land on lease to Jagatjit Singh Sugar Mills in 1933 for 99 years on certain terms and conditions that it would not be transferable and mortgaged without having approval from the state government.
{{/usCountry}}An ED official said the Punjab government had allotted 31.2 acres of land on lease to Jagatjit Singh Sugar Mills in 1933 for 99 years on certain terms and conditions that it would not be transferable and mortgaged without having approval from the state government.
{{/usCountry}}“In 2000, Oswal agro mills limited, a co-company of Jagatjit Singh Sugar mills signed a pact with Wahid-Sandhar mills and sublet the lease to it. However, the Wahid Sandhar Sugars limited after acquiring the land breached the conditions and mortgaged and sold the chunks of land,” an ED official said.
“During investigation, it came to fore that the wahidsugar mill mortgaged 31.3 acre of land for ₹93.94 crore. Moreover, the mill administrators also sold 6 kanal and 4 marlas of government land in 2019,” an official added.
The central agency said Wahid Sandhar sugar limited caused loss to state government and wrongfully gained benefits for themselves by such criminal activities
“Proceeds of crime generated out of such criminal activities are under investigation. An estimated PoC in the matter is ₹95 crore,” it added.
VB arrested Wahid, his wife and son in 2023
After registration of FIR, the VB arrested Jarnail Wahid, his wife Rupinder Kaur and son Sandeep Singh on September 30, 2023, for allegedly misusing and mortgaging 31.2 acres of land given on lease by state government.
The VB also booked Parveen Chhiber, then tehsildar of Phagwara and presently posted in Nakodar, Pawan Kuman, Naib Tehsildar, mill directors Sukhbir Singh Sandhar, Jarnail Singh Wahid, Sandeep Singh Wahid and Harvinderjit Singh Sandhar, Aman Sharma, additional director, Manjit Singh Dhillon and Kuldeep Singh Sandhar.
The VB accused revenue officials for allegedly colluding with mill functionaries for preparing faulty revenue deals in order to use mill property and land for financial benefits.
The case was registered under sections 166 (public servant disobeying law), 177 (Knowingly furnishing false information to a public servant), 210 (Fraudulently obtaining decree for sum not due), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 420 (Cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and other sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.