Agencies Believe Waris Punjab De May Have Swindled Money Meant For Farmer Protests Victims

Investigation agencies found dubious transactions exceeding Rs 40 crore in multiple bank accounts of at least five members of Waris Punjab De over the past seven years since 2016, with the leader of the outfit Amritpal Singh on the run.

Some of the funds were collected in the name of financial assistance to the families of those who lost their lives during the farmer agitation in Delhi. Additionally, some money was received under the guise of promoting religious activities.

Daljeet Singh Kalsi, a close aide of Amritpal, was arrested during crackdown on the outfit.

An Indian Express report cited sources as saying that Kalsi had received over Rs 35 crore.

The investigating agencies found that Kalsi directed five companies, with three being dissolved and two still functioning.

According to the report, the financial transactions have been scrutinised for these individuals for varying years. Some have been receiving large sums of money recently while others have been receiving it for a few years.

Kalsi, Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Sukhchain Singh Dhaliwal, Gurpreet Singh, and Avtar Singh Aulakh, who are respectively district presidents of Waris Punjab De in Moga, Barnala, Tarn Taran, and Sangrur, are among those being investigated.

Cash deposits, IMPS, and UPI were the main methods for receiving money in most of these transactions, according to sources.

A trend was noted in the transactions whereby significant amounts of money (around Rs 4-5 crore) were withdrawn over time using ATMs.

The transactions were reportedly made from over 12 countries.

Further, the agencies are also investigating Amritpal's financial transactions.

Amritpal held an Indian passport and was residing in Dubai as a manager at Sandhu Cargo Transport Company. He lived in the UAE for a decade, from February 2012 to June 2022, and then travelled to Georgia for a short stay from June 11 to 20 August 2022.

Punjab police seized three SUVs, including a Mercedes, Isuzu and Ford Endeavour, from Amritpal's convoy. The police are also investigating the process through which the registered owners of these vehicles gifted them to the WPD leader.