Demand to restrict Enforcement Directorate surfaces in Punjab assembly after raids on Sukhpal Khaira’s houses

CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Around a dozen officials of the Enforcement Directorate headed by its Deputy Director Neha Yadav today conducted a raid at MLA Sukhpal Khaira’s residence in Chandigarh in relation to an alleged money laundering case linked to narcotics trafficking and the creation of an alleged fake passport.

Another ED team headed by an official Vikrant also conducted a raid at Khaira’s cousin brother Kulvir Singh’s home in their native village Ramgarh of Bholath constituency. Interestingly, this team did not possess any official document authenticating it to conduct a raid at Kulvir Singh’s residence.

The Enforcement Directorate, an economic intelligence agency responsible for enforcing India’s economic laws, is often perceived as a Centre’s tool to oppress its opponents.

Interacting with the media, Sukhpal Singh Khaira said that these raids were meant to frighten him into backtracking from the political issues being taken up by him. “It’s not new for me. I have endured such tactics even during the last regime of Badals and ongoing Captain’s regime,” he said.

He also said that the rumors about the seizure of a fake passport from his custody were totally baseless. “I have done nothing wrong in my life ever,” he added.  

It is pertinent to note here that the Punjab Ekta Party’s MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has continuously supported the farmers’ agitation since day one. He had courageously taken up the issue of Navreet Singh’s martyrdom in the Punjab assembly.

Restrict ED’s open access to Punjab

A strong reaction against ED’s raid on Sukhpal Khaira’s house came to the fore during the ongoing budget session of the Punjab assembly when MLAs of all parties condemned this raid.

Taking up this issue in the Punjab assembly, rebel Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Parminder Singh Dhindsa said that it was a case of political intimidation because Khaira raised the issue of the death of farmer Navreet Singh during the Republic Day tractor parade. “The Centre has been using ED as its tool against opponents,” he added.

Rebel AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu also spoke against ED’s raid on Khaira’s house while questioning whether the ED took the Speaker and the state government into confidence before carrying out this raid. He added that the Center’s action was intended to penalize Khaira for raising the voice in support of farmers.

Kanwar Sandhu said that the Punjab government should bring a resolution restricting ED’s open access to Punjab. “It should be ensured that the ED couldn’t conduct such raids without the permission of the state government,” he added.

SAD MLA Sharanjit Singh Dhillon also dubbed the raid on Khaira’s house as completely wrong.

Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi strongly condemned the ED’s raid on Khaira while seeking a resolution in this concern.

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p style=”text-align: justify;”>He tried to push the house to raise voice against the Centre’s tactics of oppressing the voices of farmers’ supporters through such raids.