Haryana: ED arrests ex MLA, aide in illegal mining linked money laundering case

Former Haryana MLA Dilbag Singh and his aide Kulwinder Singh were arrested by the on Monday in an alleged illegal mining linked money laundering investigation, official sources said. Singh is a former legislator of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) from the Yamuna Nagar assembly seat. The agency raided him and the Congress MLA from Sonipat Surender Panwar on January 4 and the searches ended after five days on Monday.

ADVERTISEMENT Dilbag Singh and Kulwinder Singh have been taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the two will be produced before a local court, where the agency will seek their further custody. At least five "illegal" rifles, 300 bullets and cartridges, more than 100 liquor bottles, and Rs 5 crore cash were recovered by the ED from the premises of Dilbag Singh and other linked persons.

The money laundering case stems from several FIRs registered by the to probe alleged illegal mining of boulders, gravel, and sand that took place in the past in Yamunanagar and its nearby districts even after the lease expiry period and a ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal. The central agency is also probing an alleged fraud in the 'e Ravana' scheme, an online portal that was introduced by the Haryana government in 2020 to simplify the collection of royalties and taxes and prevent tax evasion in mining areas..