ED sources said that ED has got its copy. FIR Against Singla so that he can investigate it first. ED sources said that according to preliminary information received from media reports, their case comes under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) but still they will investigate it first.
An audio clip, recorded during the sting operation, in which Singla’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) was heard demanding “shukrana” (commission) on approved government contracts, is vital evidence. ED sources said that if money is being earned in lieu of awarding government contracts to a contractor through the ‘bribe’ mentioned in this audio clip, then such a case can be investigated further after the ED registers an enforcement case. Is. Information Report (ECIR).
Talking about Singla coming under the ED ambit, ED sources recently cited a case of illegal sand mining involving Bhupinder Singh Honey, the nephew of the former chief minister. Charanjit Singh ChanniA case was registered by the ED under sections of PMLA and arrested.
ED sources said that Honey was also not named in the police FIR in that case, which was registered in 2018 and was the basis of ED ECIR, but still Honey was arrested by the ED as the case against his accomplice Kudratdeep Singh was recorded. In that illegal sand mining by the police (though the police later cleared him of illegal sand mining charges in their investigation).
And during the ED raids on Honey’s premises, a large amount of money was recovered, which Honey later admitted before the ED that he had earned through illegal sand mining and through transfer of officers who had given money for transfers of his choice, and now in Singla’s case also the Minister’s OSD had demanded a huge amount of crores of rupees from the contractor and the deal was done for 5 lakh rupees and thus the accumulation of money was done by PMLA. A suitable case for treatment under various sections. , added ED sources.
,