The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken former Punjab Police Inspector Inderjit Singh into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Although Singh was detained on October 24, details were shared publicly on Wednesday, after the Special PMLA Court in Mohali approved ED’s request for his custody, placing him in 14-day judicial detention.
The ED’s probe began after a Punjab Police FIR charged Singh under the NDPS Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, and Arms Act, 1959. Singh, formerly posted with the CIA in Jalandhar and Kapurthala, was initially apprehended by the STF in June 2017, when 4 kg of heroin and an AK-47 assault rifle were confiscated from him.
Investigations reveal that Singh used his authority to shield drug traffickers, seizing narcotics and arresting smugglers only to extort bribes for their release, including offering bail arrangements. Reports further indicate that Singh intimidated smugglers’ families, extorting large sums under duress.
In a notable case, Singh detained smuggler Gurjit Singh (since deceased) and seized 13 kg of heroin, Rs 60 lakh in cash, and nearly 20 tolas of gold, yet officially reported only Rs 36 lakh, allegedly keeping the rest. Singh then allegedly extorted Rs 39 lakh from Gurjit’s family and coerced Gurjit into transferring a house in Chheharta, Amritsar, to an associate. The ED has now seized this property and a fixed deposit of Rs 32.42 lakh related to the case.
During searches, the STF also uncovered 3 kg of smack, Rs 16.5 lakh in cash, 3,550 pounds, and two vehicles—a Toyota Innova and a Mahindra Scorpio—linked to Singh’s alleged activities.