ED summons 2 associates of AAP MP Sanjay Singh in Delhi excise policy case
New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Friday summoned two associates of arrested AAP MP Sanjay Singh for questioning in the Delhi Excise policy linked money laundering case, officials said.
Sarvesh Mishra and Vivek Tyagi are expected to be confronted with the evidence seized by the agency during the investigation and it is understood that they will be confronted with Singh too.
The agency will record their statements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
Mishra is understood to have reached the ED office on Friday morning in response to the summons.
A Delhi court on Thursday sent Singh to five-day custody of the ED even as the anti-money laundering agency alleged that an accused businessman Dinesh Arora had given Rs two crore cash at the Rajya Sabha MP's residence in two tranches.
Singh has strongly rebutted the claim.
The AAP leader was arrested by the ED on Wednesday in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the 2021-22 Delhi Excise policy case and was the second high profile leader after Manish Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister, to be held in this case, in a big jolt to Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Investigation by ED has revealed that he (Dinesh Arora) has given Rs two crore cash at Singh's house on two occasions (Rs one crore at each time), the ED alleged in its remand application. The period when the cash was allegedly given was between August 2021 and April 2022.
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Unruly scenes witnessed in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.
During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.
After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.
The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.
Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.
However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.
The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.
Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.
The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.
"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.
As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.
On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK
