By Anand Singh
New Delhi, Mar 17 (IANS): In more trouble for MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira of the Punjab Ekta Party, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a written complaint to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) over Khaira violating the rules and protocols laid for Covid-19 patients.
An ED official related to the development told IANS, "The agency has written to the SSP Kapurthala alleging that Khaira flouted the Covid-19 guidelines as Onkar Singh, the PSO of the MLA was found Covid-19 positive on March 12, four days after the PSO's wife tested positive for the Covid-19 on March 8."
The ED searched the premises of Khaira on March 9.
He said the ED wrote to SSP, Kapurthala on March 15.
In the letter to the SSP, which has been viewed by IANS, the ED said that Khaira claimed that Singh was present at his ancestral premises in Bholath town on the day of the ED searches.
It said, "Khaira violated the standard operating procedure by not ensuring mandatory quarantine of his PSO, whose wife ASI Raj Rani, is posted in Account Branch of the AIG CID, Jalandhar."
"This irresponsible behaviour of Khaira eventually led to Singh testing positive on March 12. This in turn jeopardised the health and security of all security personnel present at the gate, the ED officials present inside the premises and, who also got in touch with security personnel posted outside the premises."
The ED letter said that the financial probe agency follows all the SOPs mentioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs. "And the lapses in the SOPs committed by Khaira as mentioned above have caused deep concern regarding the well being of ED officials and their families."
The ED in its letter also alleged that Manish Kumar, PA of Khaira during the ED searches and his questioning, was in the habit of removing his face mask.
In its letter the ED requested the Punjab Police to book Khaira for not complying with Covid-19 guidelines laid down by the government and jeopardising the well being of others around him.
The ED on March 9 carried out searches at eight locations linked to PEP MLA Khaira in Chandigarh, Punjab and also at the property of his son-in-law in Delhi in connection with the drug money laundering and fake passport racket case.
ED officials also carried out searches at the residence of Khaira's son-in-law Inder Veer Johal here in Delhi.
The ED official said that the searches at Khaira's premises were linked to the drugs case that was registered in Punjab's Fazilka after 1,800 grams of heroin, 24 gold biscuits, two weapons and some live cartridges, some Pakistani SIM cards were recovered. In that case, which was registered by the Punjab Police, conviction has already happened.
According to the ED, Khaira was associated with some of those convicted in this drugs case, and that was the reason why the financial probe agency carried out searches at his premises.
While in the fake passport racket case, Khaira has been associated with the people named in the case.
Khaira is a legislator from Bholath and former Leader of Opposition.