ED initiated investigation against Capt Amarinder’s aide on vigilance FIRs; court granted ED custody till January 19

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ED initiated investigation against Capt Amarinder’s aide on vigilance FIRs; court granted ED custody till January 19

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ January 17,2024

Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Ex. Forest Minister of Punjab under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in relation to various irregularities committed in Forest Department, Punjab during his tenure as Forest Minister and for acquiring financial gains / proceeds of crime thereof & projecting the same as untainted in the form of various assets.

ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIRs registered by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab under various sections of IPC, 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in relation to various irregularities committed in the Forest Department.

ED investigation revealed that Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, the then Forest Minister in Govt. of Punjab took bribes against issuance of permit for felling of Khair trees, transfer/posting in Forest Department, issuance of NOC from Forest Department, purchase of tree guards by Forest Department, etc. It was also found that proceeds of crime were further infused in various assets & layered in various financial transactions.

Accordingly, on the basis of investigation conducted under PMLA, 2002, Sadhu Singh has been arrested on January 15,2024.

Subsequently, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot has been produced before the Special Court, PMLA, Mohali, and the Court has granted ED custody till January 19,2024.

Also, on November 30,2023 team of enforcement directorate (ED) from Jalandhar had raided the former Punjab cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot residence at Amloh in Fatehgarh sahib district. ED initiated investigation against Capt Amarinder’s aide on vigilance FIRs; court granted ED custody till January 19. Further investigation is under progress.

The five-time MLA was arrested along with two Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in 2023 by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) as part of a case linked to alleged possession of disproportionate assets. As per available information his income from march 2016 to march 2022 was Rs 2.37 crores whereas he had spent Rs 8. 76 crores during this period.