Punjab ex-minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu sent to judicial custody till Aug 23

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 12

A special court on Monday remanded former Congress minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in judicial custody till August 23 in connection with a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Ludhiana-based leader Ashu, who has been in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Jalandhar since August 1, was presented in the court of Special Judge Dharminder Paul Singla by ED officer JP Singh. The ED did not seek extension of his remand and instead moved an application for his judicial custody.

PCC working president Ashu was represented by his lawyer Mandeep Sachdev, who sought that he be sent to the high-security jail at Nabha, but the court sent him to the Kapurthala jail. Sachdev told the media that it was decided that the threat assessment would be done by the jail authorities.

ED officer JP Singh refused to share any details of the investigation or the revelations made by Ashu during his 10-day custody. He said a challan would be presented in the court against the ex-minister in 60 days.