Breaking news: ED arrested CM Channi's nephew 

On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Bhupinder Singh alias Honey, a nephew of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, in Jalandhar, weeks after investigating his homes and workplaces in connection with money laundering accusations resulting from an illegal sand mining case in 2018.

The arrest of Bhupinder Singh comes just days before the election, which will take place on February 20 and the results will be announced on March 10.

During raids on January 19, the ED allegedly seized Rs 10 crore in money as part of an anti-money laundering probe into illegal sand mining operations in Punjab. The property linked to Bhupinder Singh was reportedly seized for Rs 8 crore.

ED officials said that action had been initiated after taking cognisance of the 2018 FIR of the Nawanshahr Police and some other police complaints against companies and individuals alleged to be involved in illegal sand mining in the state.

Following the raids, Channi claimed that the BJP-led central government was plotting a “conspiracy” to “trap” him in the case ahead of the 2022 Punjab elections.

The CM further criticized the BJP for seeking “vengeance.” During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur earlier in January, he returned without attending a scheduled function and instead addressed a rally.

The ED raids were called “vendetta politics” by Channi and stated that his nephew had not been arrested in connection with the investigation.

The arrest of Channi’s nephew is likely to provide the Opposition parties in Punjab more ammo to accuse the ruling Congress and Channi of turning a blind eye to illegal sand mining in the CM’s constituency of Chamkaur Sahib.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi stated on Friday that he has no problems to the law doing its job after his nephew was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). “The law should do its work.” “I don’t have any objections,” Channi stated.

The Congress called the ED the BJP’s “election department,” while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the chief minister.

“It takes 4-5 years for people to become corrupt. He (Channi) did it in just 111 days, though. It’s a pity, and everyone is paying attention. “People in Punjab want an honest administration,” said Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister and the AAP’s national convener.