The political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress in Punjab intensified on Wednesday with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi accusing the central government of hatching a conspiracy to trap him ahead of the Assembly polls. His allegation came a day after the Enforcement Directorate raided several places in the state, including the premises of Channi’s nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey.
Addressing a press conference, Channi said whenever elections are to take place, the BJP government at the Centre uses agencies like the ED, Income Tax and others to arm-twist their political opponents. “A conspiracy has been hatched to trap me in this case,” he said.
The ED on Tuesday raided 12 places in Chandigarh and Mohali in connection with a probe against individuals and companies alleged to be involved in illegal sand mining.
Earlier today, the agency revealed that about Rs 10 crore cash has been seized during the raids, including about Rs 8 crore from the premises linked to Honey. It claimed another about Rs 2 crore has been seized from the premises linked to a person identified as Sandeep Kumar.
The ED further said that the action was initiated after taking cognisance of the 2018 FIR of the Nawanshahr Police and some other such police complaints against some companies and individuals alleged to be involved in the business of illegal sand mining in the state.
Channi, however, claimed that he was not even named in the 2018 FIR.
On Tuesday, too, he alleged the ED raids were an attempt to coerce him in the run-up to the polls. “Raids are being conducted at the premises of my nephew. They are targeting me and are trying to put pressure on me in view of upcoming assembly polls,” he told a national daily.
Election to the 117-member Assembly will be held on February 20. Counting is on March 10.
