Former Punjab minister Dharamsot sent to ED custody till Jan 19 in money laundering case

New Delhi [India], January 17 (ANI): The court of additional sessions judge has sent Congress leader and former forest minister, Punjab, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till January 19.
The ED arrested Congress leader and former Punjab forest minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot from Jalandhar on Monday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in an investigation linked to an alleged forest scam.
The Directorate of Enforcement arrested Sadhu Singh in connection to the various irregularities committed in the Forest Department, Punjab during his tenure as Forest Minister and for acquiring financial gains, proceeds of crime thereof and projecting the same as untainted in the form of various assets.
ED initiated an investigation based on FIRs registered by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab under various sections of IPC, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, to various irregularities committed in the Forest Department.
Further, the ED investigation revealed that Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, the then Forest Minister in the Government of Punjab took bribes against the issuance of a permit for felling of Khair trees, transfer, posting in the Forest Department, issuance of NOC from the Forest Department, purchase of tree guards by Forest Department, etc.
It was also found that proceeds of crime were further infused in various assets and layered in various financial transactions.
Accordingly, based on an investigation conducted under PMLA, 2002, Sadhu Singh was arrested on Monday.
Subsequently, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot has been produced before the Special Court, PMLA, Mohali, and the court has granted ED custody till January 19.
Further investigation is under progress. (ANI)