Punjab: ED files chargesheet against ex-CM Channi’s nephew in illegal sand mining case

Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a charge sheet against Punjab former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s nephew, Bhupinder Singh, alias Honey, and his aide, Kudratdeep Singh, alias Lovie, in illegal sand mining case under money laundering charges at special PMLA court in Jalandhar. Bhupinder Singh Honey was last month sent to 14-day judicial custody after he was produced in Jalandhar Court by ED. 

As per ED, Honey was confronted with seized documents that indicated that he h me large sums of money through illegal sand mining through his contacts with senior officials in state government.

Punjab CM Charanjit Channi's nephew mits to receiving Rs 10 crore

He h mitted to receiving Rs 10 crore cash for facilitating sand mining operations and transfer or posting of officials in state, Enforcement Directorate (ED) h revealed in a statement. Also, ncy also asserted that h recorded statements of Kudratdeep Singh, Bhupinder Singh (Honey), Honey’s far Santokh Singh and Sandeep Kumar during searches. It was later 'established' that seized Rs 10 crore “belonged to Bhupinder Singh".

Furrmore, Punjab CM's nephew mitted to having received seized cash in lieu of facilitation in sand mining operations and transfer/postings of officials,  ED claimed. Honey h mitted above-mentioned after day-long questioning in a multicrore illegal sand mining case. Bhupinder Singh Honey was sent to custody of ED till February 8.

Illegal sand mining and money-laundering case 

money laundering case was filed by central ncy in 2021 which was based on 2018 FIR that h pressed charges under various sections of IPC, including  Mines and Minerals (Regulation of Development) Act, 1957 to probe allegations of illegal sand mining. ED officials revealed that Rs 8 crore was recovered from premises linked to Honey in Mohali and Ludhiana and Rs 2 crore from his accomplice Sandeep. raids were conducted at 10 locations in Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Pathankot, among ors.

However, CM Channi, at that time h dismissed allegations against his relative as a political vendetta ahe of Punjab election that was scheduled on February 20.