ED seizes cash, foreign currency after raids in Punjab against ex GMADA official, linked persons

The Enforcement Directorate has seized cash worth Rs 10.30 lakh and some foreign currency after it raided the premises of a former chief engineer of Greater Mohali Area Development Authority and the promoter of a multi-system operator in Punjab as part of a money laundering investigation. The searches were carried out on Thursday in Ludhiana, Mohali, Chandigarh and Nawanshahr.

The agency said, in a statement, that the residential and business premises of Surinder Pal Singh alias Pehalwan were searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Singh earlier served as the chief engineer in the Punjab Mandi Board and Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).


"The premises of Gurdeep Singh Jujhar and main business premises of companies controlled by him like Jhujhar Construction and Travels Pvt Ltd and Fastway Transmission Pvt Ltd (an MSO) were also searched," it said.

"Incriminating documents, digital devices, Indian currency worth Rs 10.30 lakh and foreign currency equivalent to USD 4,000 were seized," it said.

A total of five lockers and fixed deposits of Rs 6.70 crore have also been frozen, the statement said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed the money laundering case against Singh after studying an FIR and chargesheet filed against him by the Punjab vigilance bureau on allegations that he "misused his official position and allotted multi-crore projects to his favoured firms/companies, thereby ensuring illegal monetary gains for himself, his family members and to the companies, firms and entities to which the illegal favours were extended by him."

Singh, the agency claimed, set up companies in the name of his family members and close associates.

"He used bank accounts of these companies for depositing the illegal gratification received by him as bribe. These proceeds of crime were then circulated amongst the bank accounts of these companies in an attempt to launder the same," the ED said.

A part of the "proceeds of crime from the companies owned and controlled by Singh and/or his family members had also flown towards Jujhar and his companies".