Jalandhar: ED seizes Rs 78L, papers in raids on ex-MLA’s firm
Jalandhar, July 19
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jalandhar zonal office, has seized Rs 78.15-lakh unaccounted cash, digital devices and some incriminating documents in a search operations conducted by it at seven locations linked to former MLA Deep Malhotra, his son Gautam Malhotra and their liquor company.
The searches were conducted on July 16 at seven locations in Faridkot, Ferozepur, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh linked to Malbros International Pvt Ltd in a suspected case of violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The money laundering case stems from a criminal complaint filed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ferozepur, against the company for alleged violation of various sections of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for “contaminating” soil and groundwater in and around its factory premise, the agency said in a press release on Friday.
The ED said its investigation revealed that the company discharged industrial effluents in the borewells “illicitly” on its premises, leading to soil and water contamination. This resulted in public health risk and cattle deaths in and around the factory, the ED said. “The money generated through ‘environmental crime’ was further used for business activities of the company. Money trail, thereof, will be probed during further probe,” the ED said.
