
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Surender Panwar, a Congress MLA from Sonepat, in relation to a money-laundering investigation tied to illegal mining activities in Yamunanagar and several other regions of the state.
The arrest took place on Saturday and is part of ongoing efforts to address financial crimes associated with illicit mining operations.
Earlier this year, in January, ED had raided areas and places belonging to Panwar and his accomplices in Sonipat. Some of these accomplices were- BJP leader Manoj Wadhwa in Karnal and INLD MLA Dilbagh Singh. Singh was also arrested later for questing by ED.
PTI had reported, armed members of the central paramilitary forces escorted the ED teams.
The money laundering case is the result of many First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the Haryana Police to investigate earlier allegations of illicit mining of boulders, gravel, and sand in Yamuna Nagar and surrounding regions, even after the lease had expired and a court order had been issued.
Along with investigating potential fraud, the national agency is looking into the 'e-ravan' system, an online site introduced by the Haryana government in 2020 with the goal of streamlining tax and royalties collection and preventing tax evasion in mining regions.
Panwar resigned from his position as assembly speaker in July 2022, claiming personal reasons such as dangers to his family's safety and well-being.