The Enforcement Directorate (ED), after a search operation, has seized assets and deposits of close to ₹6 crore linked to former Punjab Cabinet Minister and Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu in connection to a money laundering case surrounding an alleged tender scam in Punjab.
According to an official statement the ED carried out search operations at 25 locations in Punjab on August 24, in connection with the Punjab tender scam case including the residential premises of Mr. Ashu, the former Minister of Food and Civil Supplies in Punjab and Raman Balasubramanium, the former Chairman of Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) and their accomplices.
ED had initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of FIRs registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860 and of Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988 surrounding the Transportation and Labour Cartage Policy 2021 of the Punjab government, said the statement.
“It is alleged that the tenders were allotted to contractors who approached the Minister through Rakesh Kumar Singla, Chairman of CVC, Food and Civil Supplies. Through this favouritism, the allottee contractors got undue advantages causing loss to the government exchequer. Further, FIRs related to LIT scam regarding allotment of plots to bogus persons was also taken into consideration for the purpose of the search,” added the statement.
“During the search operation, a total amount of Rs. 4.81 crores lying in multiple bank accounts of the searched persons, prima facie identified as proceeds of crime, were frozen. Also, five immovable properties worth Rs 1.54 crores (approximately) along with four bank lockers have also been frozen. Various incriminating documents, digital devices and Indian currency of around Rs. 30 lakhs have also been seized from various premises,” it said.
