PACL case: ED raids Punjab AAP MLA Kulwant Singh, Rajasthan Congress leader Khachariyawas

Kulwant Singh, 63, is the promoter of real estate firm — Janta Land Promoters Limited (JLPL) — and is reported to be Punjab’s richest MLA with assets worth over Rs 1,000 crore.

Sources in the ED told The Indian Express that the searches were linked to the alleged Pearl Agro Corporation Limited scam. The money laundering investigation stems from a CBI FIR against PACL India Limited, PGF Limited, the PACL promoter late Nirmal Singh Bhangoo and others.

A former transport minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, Khachariyawas is the nephew of former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat,

In August 2020 Khachariyawas had appeared before ED and was questioned for several hours over his family’s alleged involvement in the PACL case and related land transactions.

Speaking to journalists outside their residence, Khachariyawas’s elder brother Karan Singh said, “There was a case related to Pearl Group against me but it was closed. I don’t know why they are searching. They are asking questions from us. It (PACL) was a reputed company and there was a BJP government both in the Centre and state (Rajasthan). If such things were happening, where was the government then?”.

However, Khachariyawas intervened saying that there was no such case related to PACL against any family member. He added that he was served a notice early morning which mentioned searches at his residence and did not specify a reason. “They have not mentioned any case or any company whatsoever. Had they given me a notice, or shown a transaction… I would have given an answer…”