ED raids premises of former Punjab Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, close aides

Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, August 24

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided the premises of former Congress Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and his close aides, including former Congress Councilor Sunny Bhalla, former LIT chairman RamanSubramanium, Pankaj Meenu Manhotra and his PA Inderjit Indi.

The raids at around 20 locations were conducted in the morning. Besides, many officers connected with the Food and Supplies Department are also on the ED radar.

According to sources, a raiding team, along with para-military forces, reached former minister Ashu’s house at Kochar Market and his aides at different locations. About 150 officials are involved in the raids, which are going on simultaneously at Ludhiana and Nawanshehr.

Heavy police force was deployed outside the house of the ex-minister and the entire area cordoned off.

It may be mentioned that Ashu was the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister in the previous Congress regime.

The case is based on a Punjab Vigilance Bureau FIR in which Ashu was also arrested earlier. He was later granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The ED had taken into possession the documents from the Vigilance Department regarding the “food scam” .