The Enforcement Directorate arrested Bhupinder Singh alias Honey, a nephew of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, from Jalandhar on Friday, weeks after raiding his houses and offices in connection with money laundering allegations linked to a 2018 illegal sand mining case.
Bhupinder Singh’s arrest comes around two weeks before Punjab votes in Assembly elections on February 2022.The ED had reportedly seized Rs 10 crore cash during raids conducted on January 19 in an anti-money laundering investigation against illegal sand mining operations in Punjab. The seizure reportedly included Rs 8 crore from the premises linked to Bhupinder Singh.ED officials had then said that action had been initiated after taking cognisance of the 2018 FIR of the Nawanshahr Police and some other police complaints against companies and individuals alleged to be involved in illegal sand mining in the state.
The arrest of Channi’s nephew is likely to provide more ammunition to the Opposition parties in Punjab who have accused the ruling Congress and Channi of turning a blind eye to illegal sand mining in Chamkaur Sahib, the CM’s constituency.
