New Delhi Jan 20 (Agency) Congress party on Thursday filed a compliant to the Election Commission of India (ECI) about the raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s nephew. In a letter wrote to ECI, Congress claimed that the raids were “politically motivated and conducted solely to ‘malign and defame the image’ of CM Channi and the incumbent government in Punjab”. The Congress has also sought directions from the Ministry of Finance into the matter and alleged that raids were the violation of EC order under the model code of conduct. “Seeking urgent and necessary directions to the Finance Ministry & Enforcement Directorate officials and other central agencies carrying out political vendetta by motivated raids in violation of Election Commission’s Directions/orders under Model Code of Conduct and Constitutional powers under Representation of People Act, 1951, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860,” Congress wrote in the letter to the ECI.
The Congress party also alleged that this is a brazen misuse of the official machinery and part of a large pattern of malicious intimidation that is being done to directly influence the outcome in five election bound states. “Commission must intervene and exercise its power under article 324 of the constitution of India and address this issue by taking stern action against ED officials” Congress wrote in the letter. Calling the raids as a “revenge” against the failure of PM’s rally in Firozepur. “A sustained attack has been launched by the central government and the BJP against Charanjit Singh Channi since the day of Prime Minister rally in Firozepur when almost all 70,000 chairs were vacant and no one turned up for BJP rally” congress said. Enforcement Directorate carried out search operations on Wednesday at homes and offices belonging to his nephew and found several “incriminating documents” related to sand mining business and property transactions. The ED also revealed that over Rs 10 crore cash, gold valued around Rs 21 lakh and a Rolex watch worth Rs 12 lakh were seized during the search operations.