The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a summons to Punjab BJP state Vice-President Arvind Khanna in a money laundering case and asked him to appear on January 30.
Arvind Khanna has been summoned due to the investigation related to the alleged Embraer corruption case, in which a bribe of USD 5.76 million (approx. Rs 48 crores) was allegedly paid in favor of the Brazilian firm in 2008 to seal a deal for 3 aircrafts with DRDO. ED had also filed a charge sheet in this case in 2020. He has been asked to appear on January 30.
In June 2023, the CBI had filed a charge sheet against arms dealer Arvind Khanna, lawyer Gautam Khaitan and businessman Anup Gupta. In a charge sheet filed in special CBI Court, the agency has invoked Section 120-B of the IPC, which deals with criminal conspiracy, and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The accused named in the FIR also included Vipin Khanna, defense consultant and father of Arvind Khanna, proceedings against whom were dropped after his death. It is alleged that in 2009, he was paid commission through Singapore-based company Interdev. Arvind Khanna is the Vice President of Punjab BJP and has been MLA from Congress twice. He was elected as MLA from Sangrur from 2002 to 2007 and then Dhuri from 2012 to 2015. He joined forces with the BJP 2 years ago.