Choudhary Lal Singh’s custody extended by 5 days

Jammu, November 14

A Jammu court on Tuesday extended the custody of former Minister Choudhary Lal Singh, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, by five more days.

The former minister was arrested on November 7 after his anticipatory bail was dismissed by a special court. The court had given his seven-day custody to the ED. Singh, who is the chairman of the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party is under scanner in connection with a case against an educational Trust run by his wife and former legislator Kanta Andotra. He was produced before the special court on Tuesday through video-conference on the expiry of his remand.

Special public prosecutor Ashwani Khajuria said the accused was involved in a serious and non-bailable offence. He further said the ED custody had been extended from November 14 to 18.

The court ordered the ED to produce the accused on November 18 through virtual mode only and also directed the investigating officer to expedite the investigation.

The ED has filed a detailed objection in the court of the principal sessions judge, Jammu, to a post-arrest bail plea by the accused. The money laundering case stems from an October 2021 chargesheet filed by the CBI, which alleged criminal connivance in the issuance of land between January 4 and 7, 2011, without mentioning details in respect of violation of the ceiling limit of 100 standard kanals imposed under the Jammu and Kashmir Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976, thereby giving undue pecuniary advantage to the Trust.