Punjab: ED conducts searches at 7 sites linked to liquor baron and ex-MLA Deep Malhotra

Jalandhar, July 16

The Jalandhar zone of Enforcement Directorate is carrying out search operations on Tuesday at seven locations connected to liquor baron and former MLA Deep Malhotra in connection with an alleged violation of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, related to environmental pollution.

Searches began at seven sites in Faridkot, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh linked to Malbros International Pvt Ltd, a liquor manufacturing company, which is owned and controlled by Deep Malhotra, his son Gautam Malhotra and family and is a part of Oasis Group of Companies.

The company is already facing a criminal case lodged by the Punjab Pollution Control Board for allegedly violating various provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The villages in upto 4 km periphery of the liquor manufacturing unit of Zira tehsil in Ferozepur have been reportedly getting contaminated water. The residents of these villages have been sitting on a protest at Mansurwala village for the past over a year.

They have alleged that the company has contaminated the soil and ground water in and around its factory by dumping industrial effluents and discharging the same into the earth by way of borewells.

The issue was also raised in Parliament during zero hour subsequent to which the Central Pollution Control Board along with the Central Ground Water Board conducted field visits at the Zira factory. Their inspection report also revealed violation of environmental norms by the factory on multiple grounds.

The sources in the ED have said that an offence under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 is a scheduled offence under PMLA, 2002. EOM