A Congress delegation on Thursday met Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra to register a complaint against the “politically motivated” raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on a relative of Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi ahead of the assembly elections.
In their memorandum to the poll body chief, the delegation, which also comprised senior leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and Abhishek Singhvi, alleged that raids were a “violation of the model code of conduct”, which came into force on January 8 after the poll schedule was announced.
“Politically motivated raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a relative of Punjab chief minister Sardar Charanjit Singh Channi solely with a view to malign and defame the chief minister and incumbent Congress government,” the memorandum said. Furthermore, they sought the intervention of the Commissioner as the party believes the raids are a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
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“The case sought to be built up by the Investigative Agency is deliberately contrived and self-serving and designed to serve the interest of BJP and its allies, who are becoming irrelevant in the political landscape of Punjab,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}“The case sought to be built up by the Investigative Agency is deliberately contrived and self-serving and designed to serve the interest of BJP and its allies, who are becoming irrelevant in the political landscape of Punjab,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}The ED on Wednesday said that it seized ₹10 crore in cash from the premises of Bhupinder Singh, the nephew of Channi, and his business partner after raids in connection with illegal sand mining in the state.
Channi said the raids were an attempt to frame him.