Enforcement Directorate: Bhupinder Singh Honey accepted he got Rs 10 crore for mining operations

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 7

The Enforcement Directorate today claimed that Bhupinder Singh Honey, the nephew of Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi who is in the agency’s custody, has “accepted” that he received Rs 10 crore in cash in lieu of facilitating sand mining operations and transfers of officials in the state.

Statement comes 3 days after arrest

Bhupinder Singh Honey accepted that he received the seized cash for facilitating sand mining operations and transfer and postings of officials. ED statement

Bhupinder was arrested by the agency in Jalandhar on February 4 as part of its investigation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case relating to illegal sand mining operations in Punjab. He was remanded in ED custody till February 8. In an official statement, the ED said it had conducted raids against Bhupinder and others on January 18 and seized about Rs 7.9 crore cash from his premises and another Rs 2 crore from a person identified as Sandeep Kumar.

The ED said it had recorded the statements of Kudratdeep Singh, Sandeep Kumar, Bhupinder and his father Santokh Singh during the searches. It was “established” that the seized Rs 10 crore “belonged to Bhupinder Singh”.

In the statement, the ED claimed: “Further, Bhupinder Singh accepted that he received the seized cash in lieu of facilitation in sand mining operations and transfer/postings of officials.”

It also said Bhupinder was issued summons for his personal appearance before the agency on February 3.

“In response, he appeared and tendered his statement, wherein he, inter alia, stated that he was involved in mining-related activities, but took an evasive approach when confronted with incriminating data,” the statement read.

Bhupinder, Kudratdeep Singh and Sandeep Kumar are stated to be the directors of a company called Providers Overseas Consultants Pvt Ltd that was raided by the ED last month in poll-bound Punjab, the agency said.

The ED filed a PMLA case in November last year after taking cognisance of a Punjab Police (Rahon police station, SBS Nagar) FIR of 2018 that pressed charges under various sections of the IPC and the Mines and Minerals (Regulation of Development) Act, 1957, to probe allegations of illegal sand mining.

In this police FIR, the ED said, it was mentioned that a team comprising officials of the Mining Department, civil administration and police made a surprise check in March 2018 based on a complaint received at the Rahon police station about illegal sand mining. “Consequently, it was found that several mines were being excavated by various machines and mining was being carried out beyond the designated area,” it added.

“Accordingly, several tippers/trucks, porcelain machines and JCB machines were seized by the investigating team. The seized tipper or trucks were also found to be overloaded with sand,” the ED said, quoting the FIR.

As per the FIR, the ED said, apart from Malikpur, illegal mining activities were also carried out at Burjtahl Das, Barsal, Lalewal, Mandala and Khosa.

What investigating agency said

• The seized Rs 10 crore belonged to Bhupinder Singh Honey.
• Bhupinder, Kudratdeep & Sandeep are directors of Providers Overseas Consultants Pvt Ltd that was raided by ED last month.
• ED filed case in Nov last year, taking cognisance of 2018 FIR at Rahon over illegal sand mining.

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