Former Punjab MLA Sukhpal Khaira sent to seven-day ED custody

Former Punjab MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, arrested for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case was sent to the Enforcement Directorate's custody for seven days by a Mohali court on Friday.

Khaira will be produced in the Mohali court on November 18 after his remand period ends, said Khaira's son Mehtab Khaira, who is also an advocate.

While coming out of the court, Khaira said he was "innocent" and termed the ED's action as "total victimization." Khaira's son Mehtab also called his father's arrest "unconstitutional and illegal." The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday had arrested Khaira and he was taken into custody by the central probe agency under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency had raided his premises in March this year.

The ED has alleged that Khaira is an ''accomplice" of a drug case convicts and fake passport racketeers.

The politician had denied any wrongdoing and had said he was being targeted by central agencies as he has been vocal against the Centre's three new farm laws.

Last month, his resignation as a legislator was accepted by the Punjab assembly speaker.

Khaira,56, had resigned as an MLA before rejoining the Congress in June.

Khaira had returned to the Congress nearly six years after quitting it.

Khaira had joined the Aam Aadmi Party in December 2015 after resigning from the Congress and was elected from the Bholath assembly seat in Kapurthala in 2017.

After his unceremonious removal as the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly in 2018, he had rebelled against the AAP and resigned from the primary membership of the party in January 2019.

He had floated his own outfit Punjabi Ekta Party and unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda seat.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)