CHANDIGARH: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has begun investigations into the alleged Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by dismissed Punjab Police inspector Inderjit Singh. The Special Task Force (STF) formed on drugs by the state government arrested Singh for allegedly taking money to let the accused walk free due to lack of witnesses.
Singh was arrested on June 13 and an AK-47, an Italian pistol, 7 kg of drugs and `16.50 lakh cash were recovered from him. He confessed to having links with drug suppliers in Amritsar region. The probe was ordered by the STF after analysis of cases registered by Singh in Tarn Taran in 2013. In three cases, a huge recovery of heroin was made, but all the accused were released because Singh allegedly tampered with records.
A senior official said that in future, the STF will share more information with the ED about other drug-related cases in the state so that the accused can be nailed on all fronts.
Sources said that when the cases registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Tarn Taran from 2012 to 2017 during Singh’s tenure wer
e re-investigated, it came to light charge sheets had not been submitted in courts.
Singh had registered 17 cases of heroin smuggling. A case was filed in Police Station Sirhali on July 4, 2013, against four accused, and 19 quintal of poppy husk was seized. In another case in the same police station on August 12, 2013, against three accused, it was claimed that they smuggled heroin from Pakistan and sell it in Moga, Patti and Tarn Taran. One kg of heroin was recovered from them. Another case was registered on June 18, 2013, in which 10 smugglers were named and 20 kg heroin was seized.