The Enforcement Directorate carried out raids at eight locations in Punjab and Chandigarh in connection with a money laundering investigation worth ₹95 crore against Phagwara-based Golden Sandhar Sugar mill, previously known as Wahid-Sandhar Sugars Limited, its related entities, and persons.
The ED sleuths conducted searches at the mill premises in Phagwara, a residence at Khurampur village, and a gym at Phagwara, owned by Shiromani Akali Dal 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 an FIR by the vigilance bureau. ED probe stems from VB FIR registered in September 2023.
Wahid, a former chairman of Punjab Markfed, remained associated as managing director of Wahid-Sandhar Sugar Mill till 2024. Since 2024, the mill operations is handled by Rana Sugar Mills Limited, owned by Congress MLA from Kapurthala, Rana Gurjeet Singh, and his son, and Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh.
The federal agency initiated the investigation on the basis of a VB FIR registered in September 2023 against Jarnail Singh Wahid, his wife Rupinder Kaur, and son Sandeep Singh, and nine others under several sections of the IPC and the 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 the land would not be transferable and mortgaged without getting prior approval.
{{/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 the land would not be transferable and mortgaged without getting prior approval.
{{/usCountry}}“In 2000, Oswal Agro Mills Limited, a 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 the investigation, it came to fore that the Wahid Sugar Mill mortgaged 31.3 acres 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 the state government and wrongfully gained benefits for themselves by such criminal activities
“Proceeds of crime amounting to ₹95 crore, generated out of such criminal activities, are under investigation,” 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, Harvinderjit Singh Sandhar, Aman Sharma, additional director, Manjit Singh Dhillon, and Kuldeep Singh Sandhar. All the accused are out on bail.
The VB accused revenue officials of allegedly colluding with mill functionaries to prepare faulty revenue deals in order to sell/mortgage 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 the Prevention of Corruption Act.