ED arrests Punjab AAP MLA Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra in money laundering case
Chandigarh, November 06: AAP MLA from Punjab's Amargarh, Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra, has been arrested by ED.
Earlier in the day, he was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an unexpected move, leaving the public and political observers perplexed regarding the reasons behind his detention. Majra was detained during a public meeting, raising questions about the nature of the allegations against him and the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
This isn't the first time Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra has found himself in the crosshairs of law enforcement agencies. In September of the previous year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had conducted searches at three locations associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator. These searches were linked to a case involving an alleged bank fraud of Rs 41 crore. During the CBI raids, a significant amount of evidence was reportedly discovered, including Rs 16.57 lakh in cash, unspecified foreign currency, and documents related to banking and property that were deemed incriminating by the agency. These findings added to the ongoing investigation into the financial irregularities associated with Majra.
The recent detention occurred as Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra was addressing an AAP workers' meeting in Amargarh, a town located in the Malerkotla district. The move by the Jalandhar ED team took many by surprise, as the reasons for his detention remained undisclosed to the public.
The probe into Majra's financial affairs began when the CBI initiated a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following the raids on his properties. These raids were related to a substantial Rs 40.92-crore bank fraud case that had come to light. The CBI investigation revealed that Gajjan Majra, along with six others, including companies and individuals, was implicated in the alleged fraud.
The CBI's investigation was prompted by a complaint from a Bank of India branch in Ludhiana, which accused Gajjan Majra's firm in Gaunspura, Malerkotla, of fraudulent activities. The firm, engaged in the trading of food grains, had received loans from the bank in multiple installments between 2011 and 2014. The bank alleged that the directors of the firm had concealed 'hypothecated stock and diverted book debts with malafide and dishonest intention' to prevent the bank from inspecting these assets and recovering its dues.
Furthermore, the bank asserted that the loans extended to the firm were not used for their intended purposes, leading to a financial irregularity that raised serious concerns about fraudulent activities. As Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra's detention unfolds, the public awaits further information regarding the specific charges and evidence that have led to his arrest. The complex web of financial irregularities and allegations against him continues to raise questions about the state of political and financial affairs in the region.
- PTC NEWS
