Accused' torture allegation in PMLA case is false: ED to court

The allegations of an LIC agent that he was tortured during his Enforcement Directorate's (ED) custody in connection with a money laundering case against Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh, are false and tactics to disturb proceedings, a special court was today told by ED.
In its reply filed before Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar, the probe agency refuted the allegations made by accused Anand Chauhan that he was tortured during the period by some of the agency's officials who asked him to turn an approver in the case.
The agency claimed that the statements of Chauhan, who is currently in judicial custody, were tendered voluntarily by him in ED's custody and the applicant was "never subjected to coercion/duress/threat or use of force."

"The affidavit (filed by Chauhan) is an afterthought and has been filed with the sole intention of disrupting the on-going proceedings under the PMLA. It is pertinent to mention that statement of applicant (Chauhan) were tendered voluntarily by him in ED custody during office hours and the applicant was never subjected to coercion/duress/threat or use of force.
"Furthermore, the applicant was regularly examined by doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi. The applicant's health report do not indicate any injury of any sort whatsoever... Such allegations of brutality/physical intervention are merely tactics to disturb proceedings," the written submission filed by the probe agency through advocate N K Matta said, adding that the allegations were false.

The court has put up the matter for hearing on July 21 when it will also hear accused's bail application.

Chauhan was sent to the judicial custody by the court on July 13.
He was arrested from Chandigarh on July 9 after which he was produced before the court here which sent him to four-day ED custody.
He was arrested under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating with the investigating officer of the case.
The agency had earlier told the court that Singh while
serving as Union Minister invested huge amount in purchasing LIC policies in his own name and his family members through Chauhan.

"Further, Virbhadra Singh, while functioning as Union Minister, Government of India during the period from May 28, 2009, to June 26, 2012, acquired assets, disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs 6,03,70,782 and further tried to justify the same in the form of agricultural income.
"Pratibha Singh, wife of Virbhadra Singh, Chauhan, with whom Virbhadra Singh has signed the alleged MoU for managing his apple orchard and Chunni Lal Chauhan, proprietor of M/s Universal Apple Associates, who purportedly showed purchase of apple of Shrikhand Orchard, have facilitated in justifying the disproportionate assets of Virbhadra Singh and thereby abetted the offence," the ED had alleged.