Punjab Assembly flays ED raid on Khaira’s house

Chandigarh, March 10 : The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday unanimously condemned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at legislator Sukhpal Khaira’s house, terming it as “unwarranted and unconstitutional”.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra said the House expressed its concern in one voice against the use of Central agencies like CBI, ED and NIA to harass innocent people, including the farmers, politically elected representatives and even some government officials whereas these were meant to ensure transparency in public life.
He said during the ongoing session of the Vidhan Sabha Khaira has been compelled to remain absent from participating in the proceedings of the House and disabled him from discharging his constitutional obligations as an elected representative of his constituency due to the unwarranted and unconstitutional interference by the ED, which has been noticed and condemned by the august House, unanimously.
While condemning the unconstitutional use of the Central agencies, the House urged upon the government of India to refrain from infringing upon the rights of the elected representatives of the people by subverting the due process of law and uphold the tenets of the democratic set up in the country.
ED searches linked to former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) founder Sukhpal Singh Khaira and his son-in-law Inder Veer Johal in connection with drugs money and fake passport racket case concluded on Wednesday, an official said in Delhi.
The official related to the probe told IANS, “Searches in Punjab and Chandigarh at the premises linked to Khaira was concluded on Tuesday evening.”