ED Cracks Down on Punjab Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids in Punjab and Chandigarh over alleged misuse of 'muafi land' by Wahid Sandhar Sugars Ltd. Allegations suggest the company breached conditions set in 1933 by selling the land, causing a financial loss of approximately Rs 95 crore to the government.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a series of searches across Punjab and Chandigarh on Wednesday. The operation included premises linked to an Akali Dal politician as part of a money laundering investigation into the alleged misuse of 'muafi land,' sources revealed.

The raids targeted eight locations under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), specifically addressing allegations against Wahid Sandhar Sugars Ltd. and associated parties. Among the sites searched was a location connected to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) politician Jarnail Singh Wahid, a former co-owner of the sugar mill involved, according to official sources.

This investigation follows a September 2023 FIR filed by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, claiming that the company improperly handled the 'muafi land,' initially granted by Maharaja Jagat Jit Singh in 1933 for sugar mill operations, breaching the conditions by mortgaging and selling it. The alleged actions resulted in an estimated loss of Rs 95 crore to the state, said the central agency.

(With inputs from agencies.)