# Chandigarh

ED questions Channi in sand mining case, Sidhu says his fight was for Punjab, not sand

Channi’s nephew Bhupinder Singh alias Honey was arrested in the case by the agency days before the 20 February Punjab Assembly polls.

Statesman News Service | Chandigarh | April 14, 2022 9:48 pm

ED questions Channi in sand mining case, Sidhu says his fight was for Punjab, not sand

Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was questioned for over six hours by the Enforcement Directorate in the money-laundering investigation linked to an alleged sand mining case in the state.

The ED recorded the statement of the 59-year-old Congress leader under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he left the ED’s zonal office in Jalandhar late on Wednesday night.

Channi’s nephew Bhupinder Singh alias Honey was arrested in the case by the agency days before the 20 February Punjab Assembly polls. A charge sheet was filed against him and others named in the case earlier this month.

“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 this case, has already been presented by ED in the Hon’ble court. The authorities have not asked me to come again,” Channi said in a tweet.

His rivals including the former Punjab Congress chief took potshots at the former CM over the questioning by the ED.

“My fight was for Punjab and not for sand … Those who ran the land, sand, and liquor mafia let down Punjab for selfish vested interests by looting the exchequer…. It is either Punjab or the Mafia in the present financial scenario! The fight continues…,” Sidhu said.