Chandigarh, April 29 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted search operations this week under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at 11 locations in Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Patiala linked to suspended Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) H.S. Bhullar, his associates, including property dealers and suspected benamidars, ED officials said.

The ED’s Chandigarh Zonal Office initiated the investigation on the basis of first information report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Bhullar.

The FIR is based on a complaint filed by Akash Batta, alleging that illegal gratification was demanded by Bhullar, the then DIG, through his middleman, Kirshanu, for settlement of an FIR registered in Sirhind.

The demand was allegedly made to ensure that no coercive or adverse police action would be taken against the complainant’s scrap business.

Another FIR was registered against Bhullar in connection with possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The ED said in a statement that its investigation revealed that substantial cash deposits and transfers were made in the bank accounts of various property dealers and associated persons (suspected benamidars) who had no legitimate source of income commensurate to the investments in land.

The pattern and scale of these transactions indicate that large amounts of unaccounted cash were routed through multiple accounts and layered in the bank accounts of suspected benamidars.

The funds were subsequently utilised for acquisition of properties in the names of suspected benamidars and original property documents were seized at Bhullar’s residence previously by the CBI indicating beneficial ownership.

During the course of searches, evidence relating to multiple such properties was recovered and seized.

These properties include residential and agricultural assets located across Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Mohali and Zirakpur.

These transactions are under investigation.

The searches resulted in the seizure and freezing of Rs 1.4 crore and recovery of various incriminating documents related to money laundering activities.

“Further investigation is ongoing to establish the full extent of the money laundering activities and to uncover the nexus between property dealers, intermediaries, and public servants associated with Bhullar,” the ED said.

–IANS

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