More people have been summoned to join the investigation in a money laundering case against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told a special court on Monday.
Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar was informed by the agency that the probe was still going on in the case, after which the court allowed the ED’s plea and extended accused Anand Chauhan’s judicial custody till September 3.
Advocate N. K. Matta, appearing for the agency, told the court that the ED has summoned four more people to join the probe and presence of Chauhan, who is currently in judicial custody, was required in the matter.
However, the advocate did not disclose the names of the people called to join the probe.
Chauhan was arrested from Chandigarh on July 9 under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating with the investigating officer of the case.
Modus operandi
The ED had claimed in the court that during Chauhan’s interrogation, it was revealed that as an LIC agent, he had entered into a modus operandi to launder disproportionate assets by investing in LIC policies.
The agency had submitted that Mr. Singh, “while serving as Union Minister, invested huge amount in purchasing LIC policies in his own name and his family members through Chauhan”.
“Further, Virbhadra Singh, while functioning as Union Minister during the period from May 28, 2009, to June 26, 2012, acquired assets, disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs.6,03,70,782 and further tried to justify the same in the form of agricultural income.
“Pratibha Singh, wife of Virbhadra Singh, Chauhan, with whom Virbhadra Singh has signed the alleged MoU for managing his apple orchard and Chunni Lal Chauhan, proprietor of M/s Universal Apple Associates, who purportedly showed purchase of apple of Shrikhand Orchard, have facilitated in justifying the disproportionate assets of Virbhadra Singh and thereby abetted the offence,” the ED had alleged.
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