Former Punjab CM Channi questioned by ED in illegal sand mining case

Channi later tweeted,, “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.”

After Channi’s appearance before the ED, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu tweeted, “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…”

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…

— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) April 14, 2022

Honey, who is still in jail, applied for bail on Tuesday after the ED filed a chargesheet against him on March 31. ED sources claimed that the Rs 10 crore seized from Honey might belong to Channi.

The ED conducted searches at 10 locations in Ludhiana, Mohali, Pathankot, Rup Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib, on January 18 and 19, in connection with the illegal sand mining case registered at Rahon Police station in Nawanshahr district. Honey’s partner Kudartdeep Singh was also an accused in the case but was later exonerated by police. During these raids the ED recovered Rs. 10 crore cash allegedly belonging to Honey, several incriminating documents related to the sand mining business, property transaction papers, mobile phones, gold worth above Rs 21 lakh and a Rolex watch worth Rs 12 lakh. Honey and Kudartdeep Singh are the directors of Providers Overseas Consultants private limited Company.

The ED, in its chargesheet against Honey, had said that he had admitted that the seized money was earned through sand mining activities and transfer of public officials.

Honey was summoned to ED’s Jalandhar Office on February 3, where he was questioned extensively till late night and then Arrested at 11:55 pm at its office in Jalandhar.

It was on March 7, 2018, that Rahon police filed an FIR following images shared by then CM Amarinder Singh on Twitter, highlighting the illegal mining on the banks of Sutlej in Phillaur and Rahon. Surprise checks followed and an FIR was filed against 26 people linked to six mines. Kudratdeep was named but never arrested. He only appeared before police after securing bail and was found ‘innocent’ in a subsequent inquiry.