Chowdhary Lal Singh gets interim bail

Jammu, Nov 23: Principal Sessions Judge Jammu Sanjay Parihar Thursday granted interim bail to the chairman of Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party and former minister Chowdhary Lal Singh, who was lodged in Ambphalla district jail in a money laundering case.
As he was released from jail after procuring bail, a large number of his supporters, gathered outside the jail, accorded him warm welcome, garlanding him and showering flower petals on him.

He was accorded bail after furnishing surety for an amount of Rs 2 lakh with a personal bond of the like amount. Bail was granted on the condition that he would present himself before the Enforcement Directorate as and when called; would render all possible help in the investigation of the case and would refrain from intimidating or harassing the prosecution witnesses. He has also been asked to surrender his passport before the ED.

On November 18, a special court had sent him to 14-day judicial custody in this money laundering case.
On November 8, a day after his arrest, Singh was sent to seven-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) by the court. On November 14, the special court extended the ED custody of Singh by five days.

The former minister was arrested by ED sleuths from a house in Chowadi in Sainik Colony in Jammu outskirts after his anticipatory bail application was rejected by the Special Judge CBI Jammu Bala Jyoti on November 7. However, the court had extended the bail application of his wife Kanta Andotra and their daughter Dr Kranti Singh up to November 30.

Before his arrest, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had questioned him for two days on November 4 and 6, in connection with a case of money laundering allegedly by RB Educational Trust, Jammu belonging to his (Singh’s) family.

Singh’s wife and former MLA Kanta Andotra is the chairperson of R B Educational Trust, against which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had lodged an FIR in 2020 and chargesheet was filed in 2021.

She (Andotra) too was questioned by ED on October 18, a day after raids were conducted (by ED) at several locations including their residence.
On October 17, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted search operations at eight locations spread over Jammu and Kathua districts in the Union Territory of J&K and Pathankot, Punjab under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in a case against RB Educational Trust, Jammu, Ajay Singh, former DC Kathua and other Revenue officers and officials.