Charanjit Channi quizzed by ED in sand mining case for over four hours

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 14

Enforcement Directorate officials interrogated former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit S Channi in connection with a sand mining case for over 4 hours at their zonal office on Wednesday.

Channi had been reportedly summoned a few times since the recent chargesheet against his wife’s nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey, but he skipped the dates before finally appearing for interrogation yesterday.

Honey was arrested by the ED on February 3 for his alleged involvement in illegal sand mining and violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Channi reportedly came to the ED office sans his security at 11.30 am. He was interrogated by Inquiry Officer-cum-Assistant Director Riteish Srivastava. He presented to him details of his bank accounts, I-T returns and property documents.

He was questioned about his alleged links with the sand mining business of Honey and his aide Kudratdeep Singh, allowing Honey at his political events and Honey’s access to bureaucrats and officials for alleged collection of money for postings and transfers.

Channi was made to file a written statement. He walked out of the ED office around 4 pm escaping the eyes of mediapersons.

ED officials remained tight-lipped on the issue till Channi himself took to Twitter to confirm the development.

He wrote: “I was summoned by the ED yesterday regarding the mining case. I attended and replied to the queries put by them to the best of my knowledge. A challan in the case has already been presented by the ED in the court. The authorities have not asked me to come again.”

Channi told The Tribune: “I fully cooperated with the ED officials and answered all queries put to me by the inquiry officer in writing. They seemed convinced by my replies.”

Meanwhile, Honey and Kudratdeep have filed bail applications in a Jalandhar court and their pleas would be heard on April 16. —

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