Former Punjab forest minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot arrested by Enforcement Directorate in money laundering case

Chandigarh, January 15

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday arrested Congress leader and former Punjab forest minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot under the anti-money laundering law in an investigation linked to an alleged forest scam in the state, official sources said.

The agency took the 64-year-old politician into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Jalandhar.

The ED had raided the premises of Dharamsot, another forest minister of the state Sangat Singh Giljian, some forest department officials and others in November last year.

The investigation pertains to charges of “bribery” in the state forest department against the issuance of permits for tree felling and for transfer/posting in the department, among other allegations.

Dharamsot has been a five-time MLA and was also arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau last year in a case linked to alleged possession of disproportionate assets.

He has represented the Nabha assembly seat while Giljian has been an MLA from the Urmar seat in Hoshiarpur district.

The money laundering case, filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, stems from an FIR of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau into alleged irregularities in the forest department and allegations of taking bribes by the ministers and officers concerned for issuing permits for felling of Khair trees, transfer/posting in the department, issuance of NOC from the department and purchase of tree guards.