Money laundering case: ED files appeal against Ch Lal Singh’s bail

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed appeal in High Court against the order of Principal Sessions Judge Jammu whereby Principal Sessions Judge Jammu granted interim bail to former Minister and Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP) Chief Choudhary Lal Singh.
Meanwhile Special Judge CBI Bala Joyti today extended pre-arrest bail of Kanta Andotra and Dr. Kranti Singh up to December 14, 2023.
On Tuesday, the ED had attached immovable assets on land valued at Rs 1.21 Crore as per circle rate in 2011, in connection with a money laundering case against RB Educational Trust.
The attachment, carried out under the orders of Deputy Director ED Jammu under PAO (03/2023) dated November 28, 2023, pertaining to land acquired by R B Educational Trust (RBET), an institution headed by Kanta Andotra, the wife of Choudhary Lal Singh and Chairperson of RBET.
This land pertained to part of DPS School Kathua, B.Ed College and Nursing College.
84 kanal and 9 marla land situated at village Karandi was acquired by R B Trust vide gift deed dated January 5, 2011; 48 kanal and 6 marla land situated at village Karandi was acquired by R B Trust vide gift deed dated January 7, 2011 while 35 kanal land was also acquired vide a separate gift deed dated January 7, 2011.
The ED’s investigation was initiated based on the FIR and chargesheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), CBI Jammu, against Kanta Andotra and Ravinder Singh, the then Patwari.
The probe uncovered that Choudhary Lal Singh, an ex-Minister and two-time ex-MP, along with his wife in collusion with revenue officers/officials, orchestrated the transfer of land measuring 167 Kanal and 15 Marlas. This land, valued at Rs. 1,21,80,500/- as per circle rate in 2011, was forcibly transferred. The copies of the attachment orders have been sent to all revenue officers including Deputy Commissioner and concerned Tehsildar…
On November 8, he former Minister Choudhary Lal Singh was also arrested by the sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from Jammu under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Earlier in October, the ED had conducted searches in Jammu and its adjoining areas as part of a money laundering probe against their educational trust in connection with alleged irregularities in land purchase to set up the trust.
The federal agency had raided about eight premises in Jammu, Kathua and Punjab’s Pathankot on October 17 in the case against RB Educational Trust.