- विज्ञापन -
Chandigarh: Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday attached the residential house of Sukhpal Singh Khaira the then MLA from Punjab in Chandigarh sector 5, under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, agency said.
In a statement ED stated, during searches carried out and investigation conducted by Punjab Police, collectively, a total of 1800 grams of Heroin, one .315 bore pistol and two live cartridges, 02 Pakistani SIMs, one .32 bore revolver and 24 live cartridges & one blank cartridge, 24 Gold biscuits and mobile phones were recovered. Out of this, 350 Grams Heroin, one Pakistani SIM, one .32 bore Webley Scot made in England revolver, 24 live cartridges, one empty cartridge and 24 Gold Biscuit totaling 333 Grams were recovered from one Gurdev Singh (accused).
The Ld. Special Court in Fazilka convicted Gurdev Singh and eight others under various sections of the NDPS Act, 1985, in its order dated 31.10.2017.
ED investigation revealed that Sukhpal Singh Khaira had acquired and utilised POC to the tune of Rs. 3.82 Crore generated from the international drug syndicate operated by Gurdev Singh (accused) and his overseas based associates. In lieu of protection/passage provided for smuggling of narcotic drugs by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Gurdev Singh has provided cash payments of Rs. 3.82 Crore to Sukhpal Singh Khaira and also funded his election campaigns out of the POC derived from illegal drugs business.
Gurdev Singh, served as the Chairman of the Market Committee, Dhilwan, and was a close associate of Sukhpal Singh Khaira. During the period 01.04.2014 to 31.03.2020, Sukhpal Singh Khaira and his family members have made expenses to the tune of Rs. 6.61 Crore. Further, unaccounted expenditure to the tune of Rs. 3.82 Crore more than their known sources of income were identified. The same was revealed from handwritten notebooks seized from the searches conducted on 09.03.2021 and 10.03.2021.
Sukhpal Singh Khaira was arrested on 11.11.2021 under Section 19 of PMLA, 2002 and the Prosecution Complaint was filed before Ld. PMLA Court, Mohali, Punjab on 06.01.2022 against Gurdev Singh and Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The charges have been framed by the Ld. PMLA, Court vide order dated 17.10.2023.
