Congress files complaint to EC, says ED raids on Punjab CM’s relatives ‘politically motivated’

The Congress delegation, which submitted a memorandum to chief election commissioner, claimed the raids are a 'violation of the Model Code of Conduct'.

ED recovered Rs 4 crores from Punjab CM Charanjit Channi’s nephew Bhupinder Singh residence and 2 crores from Singh's associate Sandeep Kumar's house during a raid in Mohali, on 18 January 2022 | ANI photo

New Delhi: A Congress delegation met Chief Election Commissioner of India Sushil Chandra on Thursday to register a complaint against the “politically motivated” raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on relatives of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi ahead of Assembly polls in the state.

“Politically motivated raids by enforcement directorate on a relative of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Charanjit Singh Channi solely with a view to malign and defame the Chief Minister and incumbent Congress Government,” reads the memorandum submitted by Congress party to CEC. Congress has also sought the intervention of the Election Commission as it claims that these raids are a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

“Seeking urgent and necessary directions to the Finance Ministry and Enforcement Directorate officials and other central investigation agencies carrying out politically motivated raids in violation of Election Commission’s directions/order under Model Code of Conduct,” Memorandum read.

The Congress delegation that met Chandra via online video conference, included Randeep Surjewala, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Harish Chaudhary, Devender Yadav, Ganesh Godiyal, Pranav Jha, Aman Panwar.

The ED on Wednesday seized more than Rs 10 crore cash, gold worth above 21 lakh and a Rolex watch worth Rs 12 lakh from the residential premises of land mafia Bhupinder Singh Honey and others in connection with an alleged illegal sand mining case.

The Enforcement Directorate declared the recoveries after it concluded its two-day raid conducted at the business and residential premises of the accused persons and their associates in over a dozen places in Mohali, Ludhiana, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Pathankot.

The ED raids went on from 7.30 am till late night on Tuesday and it again started on early Wednesday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Meanwhile, Punjab will go to assembly polls on February 20 and the results will be declared on March 10.