Sand mining case: Channi says 'replied to ED queries, not asked to come again'
Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi's nephew Bhupinder Singh alias Honey was arrested on February 3 in the sand mining case. He is currently in judicial custody and has applied for bail.
Former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday confirmed he was interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in the sand mining case. The Congress leader tweeted, "I was summoned by the ED yesterday regarding the mining case. I attended and replied to the queries put by them to the best of my knowledge. A Challan in this case has already been presented by ED in the Hon’ble court .The authorities have not asked me to come again."
Hindustan Times had learnt that Channi was quizzed for several hours at the ED office in Jalandhar. The former Punjab chief minister's nephew Bhupinder Singh alias Honey was arrested by the central agency on February 3, nearly three weeks before the assembly polls in the state. He is currently lodged in judicial custody and has applied for bail. A chargesheet has already been filed against him and others before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Jalandhar on March 31.
The ED on January 18 had carried out raids against Honey and others, seizing ₹7.9 crores cash from his premises and another ₹2 crore cash from a person called Sandeep Kumar who was linked to him.
The agency also said it recorded statements of Honey, his father, Kudratdeep Singh and Sandeep Kumar. The agency claimed the seized ₹10 crore belonged to Bhupinder Singh Honey.
"Further, Bhupinder Singh accepted that he received the seized cash in lieu of facilitation in sand mining operations and transfer/postings of officials," the ED had claimed in a statement.
When questioned about his nephew's arrest, Channi who was the CM at that time, said he had no objections with the law doing its own work. “I've already said law should do its work. I have no objections with this," ANI had quoted him as saying.