ED summons Virbhadra in money-laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday issued summons to Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh in connection with its money laundering probe against him.According to sources, summons have been issued under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), asking Mr Singh to personally appear before investigators here in the first week of December. Similar summons have also been issued to some of his alleged associates.

The agency recently filed a case under criminal provisions of money laundering laws after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the CBI in this regard in September. The ED on November 20 had conducted searches at 12 locations in three states as part of its investigations into the case.

Sources said investigators have gathered some important documents to probe and detect the proceeds of crime allegedly channelled by Mr Singh and his associates by using purported illegal routes. There are allegations that Mr Singh and his family members amassed wealth of `6.1 crore between 2009 and 2011 when he was the Union minister of steel.

The CBI suspects that during the 2009-11 period, Mr Singh allegedly invested `6.1 crore in life insurance policies in his and his family members’ names through LIC agent Chauhan, claiming this money to be his agricultural income.