JAMMU: The Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP) chairman and former minister for Jammu and Kashmir, Chaudhary Lal Singh, was placed under judicial custody on Saturday by a Special designated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court. The Enforcement Directorate detained Singh on November 7 in relation to a suspected money laundering case. Chaudhary Lal Singh was placed under two weeks of judicial custody by Special Judge CBI Bala Joyti, who oversaw the proceedings. Through video conference, the 64-year-old former minister and head of the DSSP made an appearance before the court. The Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Jammu facilitated the appearance.Ashwani Khajuria, the special public prosecutor for the ED, made the case for the judicial remand during the hearing and requested a 14-day extension. The court took note of the arguments made and stated that Chaudhary Lal Singh was being investigated for a serious offence for which he was not eligible for bail. The Investigating Officer (IO) reported to the court that the accused was not cooperating and that no statements had been recorded. Thus, from November 18 to December 1, the court awarded judicial custody for a period of 14 days. The court also ordered Chaudhary Lal Singh to be kept in the District Jail in Amphalla, Jammu, and to undergo routine medical examinations in accordance with regulations. It also required the accused to appear in court on December 1st, the day after the judicial remand period ended.
