Charges framed against Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira in money laundering case

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Avtar Singh ordered, “Charges had been framed against Khaira and Gurdev Singh as defined under Section 3 read with Section 4 of the Money Laundering Act. The contents of the charges have been read over to both the accused. Even the copies of the charges framed against them were provided to them.”

The counsel for accused Khaira had moved an application for grant of adjournment of the present case. The notice of the application is given to the Special Public Prosecutor for the ED. However, he is yet to file the reply to the application for adjournment but verbally opposed the application. Khaira’s counsel argued that an opportunity should be given to him to address the arguments on framing of charge. However, ED’s Special Public Prosecutor argued that the case is pending since long.

“All the issues have been discussed in that application. Now, no ground is made out to allow the application for adjournment,” the order further states.

It added, “After hearing the counsel for both the parties and from the perusal of the file, it is clear that the case is pending since 2022 in this court.”

The order states that an opportunity was given to Khaira through his counsel Gurmail Singh Dhaliwal, Mehtab Singh Khaira and Jaspreet Singh to address the arguments on the issue of framing of charge. They argued that the accused had been falsely implicated in the present case due to the political rivalry as Khaira is head of the opposition party and he has been a vocal critic. He has no concern with Gurdev, who is a former sarpanch. Nothing had been obtained in the form of cash, kind or services from Khaira.

Khaira’s counsel further argued that he owns 52 acres in his village as ancestral property and got his children married with proceeds from the agricultural land and also by taking Rs 2 crore loan from bank. It was also argued that Khaira has a good reputation and his father was the former state education minister, therefore there is no question of him having any connection with Gurdev.

While Gurdev was convicted in 2017 but no proceeds were given by him to Khaira and he has not committed any offence. He be also discharged, the court was urged.

The Special Public Prosecutor for ED argued that there is specific allegation against the accused and that Khaira had connection with Gurdev. It was said that Khaira spent Rs 3.82 crore, which is more than of his income and he got it from an international drug syndicate in exchange of providing protection to Gurdev for smuggling narcotics. Hence, Khaira and Gurdev were hand in glove with each other. They committed the offence as defined under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act which is punishable under Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The charge should be framed, argued the ED counsel.

It was alleged that while Gurdev was implicated in an NDPS case in which he was convicted and sentenced, Khaira supported Gurdev in smuggling drugs. And with that money, Khaira’s election campaign and expenditures were financed.

“There is prima facie case against Khaira and Gurdev. The submissions of the defence counsel and accused Gurdev hold no ground at this stage. Let charges be framed against both the accused as defined under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and punishable under Section 4 of the Money Laundering Act,” the court ordered.