ED Raids 2 Ex-Punjab Ministers; Seizes Paperwork, Cellular Telephones

New Delhi : “Incriminating” paperwork, cell phones, and different digital units had been seized by the ED after raids towards two former Punjab forest ministers and Congress leaders Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Sangat Singh Giljian and others as a part of an alleged forest scam-linked cash laundering probe.
The federal probe company issued a press release on Friday, saying its investigation pertains to costs of “bribery” within the state forest division towards the issuance of a allow for tree felling and for switch/posting within the division, amongst another allegations.
The raids had been performed on November 30 in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi on the residential premises of Dharamsot, Giljian, their associates, forest officers and a few personal people, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) mentioned.
Dharamsot (63), has been a five-time MLA and he was arrested earlier this yr by the Punjab Vigilance bureau as a part of a case linked to alleged possession of disproportionate belongings.
Giljian has been an MLA from the Urmar seat in Hoshiarpur district.
The cash laundering case was filed below the provisions of the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act and stems from an FIR of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, the company mentioned.
The primary data report pertains to alleged irregularities within the forest division and allegations of taking bribes by the involved ministers and officers of the division towards the issuance of permits for felling of Khair timber, switch/posting within the division, issuance of NOC from the division and buy of tree guards, it mentioned.
Through the search operations, varied incriminating paperwork, cell phones/digital units have been seized which, prima facie, reveal “suspicious transactions” involving individuals who’re below investigation, the ED mentioned. (Companies)