Amardeep Singh Grewal did not appear before the ED on Friday in New Delhi after being summoned in the alleged ₹5-crore bribery case.
The ED had asked the Punjabi film producer to join the probe, but he neither appeared nor sought an extension.
The case is linked to allegations involving Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife.
Punjabi film producer Amardeep Singh Grewal did not turn up before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday (October 9) after it called him for questioning in an alleged ₹5-crore bribery case linked to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife, Dr Gurpreet Kaur. Grewal is said to be Mann's brother-in-law. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has said he has no link to the CM or his family.
Grewal skips ED summons
The agency had asked him to come to its High Intensity Unit in New Delhi on October 9. “Grewal didn’t appear before the central agency. He had not communicated anything to the agency regarding his absence or sought any extension of the summons,” an ED official, who didn’t wish to be named, said, as reported by Hindustan Times.
What we know about Grewal's ₹5 crore bribery case
The ED began a money-laundering probe after the bribery controversy surfaced and Grewal’s name reportedly cropped up in it. He has been accused of seeking ₹5 crore in connection with efforts to have a criminal investigation withdrawn or settled.
It is not immediately clear whether the agency has registered a separate case specifically against Grewal over these allegations.
How controversy began
The issue surfaced after the Punjab Human Rights Organisation, in an independent inquiry led by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Ranjit Singh, brought the matter into focus and reportedly named Kaur.
Kaur has denied any role in the case and called the allegations baseless. She has also initiated legal action over what she described as defamatory claims against her.
The matter began in April. The woman’s father accused Gurvinder Singh, also known as Guri Chahal, a Mohali resident, of abducting her. Police filed an FIR in Amritsar on April 29 and rescued the woman on May 1.
Police arrested Chahal on May 13. He got bail in mid-July, and that led to accusations that the Punjab Police had botched the probe. In later court hearings, claims surfaced that ₹5 crore had been demanded to get the criminal case withdrawn or settled.
Human rights and defamation
The case later came under broader review. On August 22, the National Human Rights Commission took cognisance of the controversy and sent notices to the Punjab chief secretary and director general of police, asking for an action-taken report.
Last month, Kaur filed a criminal defamation complaint against Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, party leader Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. She alleged that they had made false statements accusing her of helping protect a rape accused.
Kaur filed the complaint in a Chandigarh court under Sections 210 and 222 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. She said the conduct amounted to an offence under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Who is Amardeep Singh Grewal?
Grewal has worked in Punjabi cinema. He has been linked with East Sunshine Production and has Maujaan Hi Maujaan (2023) and Snowman (2022) to his credit. HT also reported that he has overseas production and release ties.
He is yet to respond.
