The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today arrestedPunjab's former MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in connection with a money-launderingcase linked to narcotics trafficking and the creation of an alleged fakepassport.
A few months ago, ED had also carried out raids at Sukhpal’s residence inChandigarh, five other locations in Haryana and Punjab and two places in Delhi.
The ED told the court they have to probe thesource of funds that Khaira got from the US for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in2016. The ED said Khaira was issued notices four times, but he did notcooperate.
As per information, the case pertains to theprobe in the 2015 Fazilka (Punjab) drugs-smuggling case, in which 1,800 gramsof heroin, 24 gold biscuits, two weapons, 26 live cartridges and two PakistaniSIM cards were seized from a gang of international drug smugglers by securityagencies.
Khaira was arrested by the EnforcementDirectorate (ED) in a money laundering case last week and his remand ended onThursday.
While speaking to the media persons outsidethe district courts here, Khaira said that the case against him is a conspiracyand that he would expose all the people involved in it at the right time. “BJPwas already against me but some people in Congress were also involved in it, Ishall continue to fight against the injustice and expose all the conspiratorsat the right time,” he said.
Now, Sukhpal Khaira has been remanded injudicial custody by Mohali Court. The court has fixed December 2ndfor the next hearing in this case.
Khaira, who was in the Congress for severaldecades, had joined the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the 2017 assembly polls, andwon the Bholath seat. He remained the leader of opposition for a brief whilebefore being removed from the post by the party high command in 2019.