ED gets custody of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi's nephew until February 8

Deepkamal Kaur
Jalandhar, February 4

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s nephew is in trouble. The Enforcement Directorate arrested Bhupinder S Honey in a money laundering case late on Thursday evening—days after investigators raided his property and just over a fortnight before Punjab votes in its high-stake assembly elections on February 20.

Honey, who was later remanded in ED’s custody until February 8, was summoned before investigators on Thursday —the second time he was asked to appear before them—for questioning that lasted over seven hours.  He had been uncooperative, the ED argued before a magistrate’s court at his custody hearing on Friday, before whisking him away amid heavy security.

Honey reportedly complained of feeling queasy at his questioning on Thursday and was believed to have been taken for a checkup at the civil hospital. Doctors examining him concluded he was fine, and investigators brought him back to his lock-up early on Friday morning. Later in the evening, the ED team again took Honey for a checkup at the civil hospital and brought him back as all his medical reports were normal.

During the questioning that resumed on Friday morning, he was asked about his dealings and his links with contractors and political leaders, sources said. Investigators also asked Honey about Rs 8 crore in cash and other valuables they claim to have recovered from his place in the January 18 raids they conducted at his properties in Ludhiana and Mohali, the sources said.

Honey’s lawyer Harneet Oberoi denied the allegation that his client was uncooperative.

“He could not appear on the earlier summons on January 25 as he had Covid at that time and we have submitted all his reports. Honey has appeared regularly and on time when he was called,” Oberoi claimed. Additionally, the ED’s FIR lodged in the case in 2018 did not mention Honey, the lawyer said.

The FIR in question, filed in Nawanshahr’s Rahon, names Honey’s business partner Kudratdeep, whose name does not appear in the subsequent police challan.

Oberoi refused to comment on the recoveries, saying that the case was sub judice.

Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party held protests against the Congress outside ED’s office.

The ruling party meanwhile questioned the time of the arrest. Significantly, the arrest comes two days before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Punjab.