Farmers Movement Archive

ED custody ends, Punjab Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira sent to judicial custody

A Mohali court on Thursday sent Punjab Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira to 14-day judicial custody after hecompleted seven days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand in a money laundering case. The next date of hearing in the case has been fixed on December 2. The ED arrested Khaira, a former Punjab MLA, on November 11 under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The central probe agency had raided his premises in March this year. The ED has alleged that Khaira was an accomplice of a drug case convicts and fake passport racketeers. The ED told the court they have to probe the source of funds that Khaira got from the US for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2016. The ED said Khaira was issued notices four times, but he did not cooperate. Opposing the remand, Khaira’s lawyers Keshav Chaudhary and PS Walia pleaded in the drugs case stay was obtained from the Supreme Court. So, the ED couldn’t have arrested himKhaira alleged that his arrest was the result of some “Congress insiders’ vendetta” and handwork of “devils in disguise”. Khaira won the assembly election in 2017 from the Bholath seat on the AAP ticket. He resigned from the membership of the AAP in January 2019 and floated his own outfit, Punjab Ekta Party. He then joined the Congress in June this year. Plea in HC against arrest deferred to November 23Sukhpal Khaira’s plea against his arrest could not be taken up in the high court on Thursday and the hearinghas been deferred for November 23. The plea demands his release terming the arrest“bad in law”.It argues that ED initiated proceedings under the PMLA even as there is a stay from Supreme Court in the 2015 matter. The ED initiated these proceedings, in January when Khaira was vociferous on the issue of farm laws. Raids were conducted in March and even as matter was pending before high court, arrest was effected though he was summoned eleven times since raids, said his lawyer Vikram Chaudhri.

Hindustan Times

19-11-2021

Chandigarh