The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant steps in its investigation into the alleged money laundering associated with the food grain tenders scam within Punjab’s Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department. The agency has provisionally attached properties worth Rs 22.78 crore linked to the case, underscoring the scale of the alleged financial misconduct.
At the center of this investigation is former Congress Minister and ex-Ludhiana West MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who was arrested, for the second time, on August 1, 2024, at the ED’s Jalandhar headquarters after being summoned for questioning. The ED’s investigation has exposed a web of corruption involving not only Ashu but also several contractors and government officials allegedly complicit in the scam.
The properties attached by the ED encompass a wide range of assets, including immovable properties located in key regions such as Ludhiana, Mohali, Khanna, and other parts of Punjab. In addition, movable assets like Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs), gold jewelry, bullion, and various bank accounts have also been included in this attachment.
ED, in a statement released on Friday, highlighted the nature of the properties involved, which are tied to individuals implicated in the money laundering scheme. The agency’s ongoing investigations aim to trace the flow of illicit funds and dismantle the network that facilitated this corruption.
The ED initiated its investigation based on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) lodged by Punjab Vigilance Bureau. These FIRs cite various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, concerning the ‘tender scam’ in the Food and Civil Supplies Department. The allegations stem from Ashu’s tenure as the Food and Civil Supplies Minister during the previous Congress Government, where he allegedly favoured specific contractors for tender allotments, promising them inflated profits in exchange for bribes.
The ED’s investigation revealed a troubling pattern of misconduct, as Ashu and his associates, including his close aide Rajdeep Singh Nagra and Department’s former deputy director Rakesh Kumar Singla, allegedly facilitated bribe collections from contractors. These bribes were then laundered through a network of shell companies, allowing the funds to be funneled into the purchase of various properties.
In addition to Ashu’s arrest, the ED has also detained Rajdeep Nagra as part of its broader investigation into the case. Nagra was arrested on September 4, 2024, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Both Ashu and Nagra remain in judicial custody as the ED continues its inquiries into the scam, with additional searches having taken place at 28 locations across Punjab on August 24 and September 4, 2024.
