ED raids Punjab CM's relative in illegal sand mining case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided multiple locations in poll-bound Punjab, including those linked to a relative of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, as part of a money laundering probe against the 'sand mafia' and companies linked to alleged illegal sand mining in the border state, officials said.

They said at least a dozen locations in the state including in Chandigarh, Mohali, Ludhiana and Pathankot are being covered by the officials of the federal agency. They are being assisted by armed personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force.

The action is being undertaken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Reacting to the raids, Channi told reporters that relatives of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were raided during the assembly polls in that state and the "same pattern" is being followed by the ED in Punjab to "pressure" him, his ministers and Congress party members.

"We are ready to handle the pressure...," he said, adding he had no links with the case.

Premises linked to a person identified as Bhupinder Singh alias Honey, a nephew of Channi, are also being covered.

Sources said Honey's links with a person identified as Kudratdeep Singh are being investigated by the agency.

Opposition parties have earlier linked Channi with the dealings of Honey which the former had denied.

The ED action, sources said, has been initiated after taking cognisance of a 2018 FIR of the Nawanshahr (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district) Police and some other such police complaints against some companies and individuals alleged to be involved in the business of illegal sand mining in the state.

A number of truck drivers and other operatives involved in the extraction and transportation of sand were named as accused in these police FIRs.

Voting for 117 assembly seats in Punjab is slated on February 20.