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CHANDIGARH: The Enforcement Directorate has widened its probe into alleged corruption and undue favours in Punjab after forensic examination of an encrypted mobile application recovered from middleman Krishnu Sharda revealed the names of six government officers. The individuals identified in the recovered WhatsApp conversations include three Indian Administrative Service officers, one Indian Police Service officer, one Punjab Police Service officer, and one Punjab Civil Services officer. Investigating officials suspect that illicit financial transactions took place to facilitate administrative clearances, expedite pending government files, and influence police transfers. The central agency is currently preparing to summon the named bureaucrats and police officials for formal questioning to verify their involvement.
Investigators noted that the forensic extraction of Sharda’s mobile device uncovered detailed conversations pointing toward suspicious financial dealings and administrative quid pro quo. The retrieved exchanges reference efforts to clear stalled official files, leak sensitive departmental information, issue favorable government orders, and secure regulatory clearances such as no-objection certificates for private institutions.
Files for Cash and Secretariat Passes
According to the details emerging from the investigation, a retired IAS officer allegedly accepted over Rs 10 lakh to push forest department files and secure required approvals. The agency is currently tracing the transaction channels used for the transfer and reviewing the specific administrative actions taken during that period. A second serving IAS officer is under scrutiny for allegedly helping Sharda obtain a permanent entry pass to the Punjab Civil Secretariat, alongside facilitating administrative orders in favor of private commercial firms. Investigators are verifying whether any direct monetary returns or undue benefits were exchanged for these facilities.
A third IAS officer, who was previously posted in the housing and urban development department, is alleged to have accepted Rs 10 lakh in cash in exchange for sharing internal files and confidential project data. Investigators consider this aspect critical, as access to proprietary government information can grant significant unfair market advantages to commercial entities.
Police Postings and a Two Crore Settlement
The digital trails also surfaced conversations involving a PPS officer who allegedly proposed accepting Rs 10 lakh in cash to influence police postings and secure the suspension of a sub-inspector. The agency is actively scrutinizing the authenticity of these exchanges to establish whether the proposed arrangement was carried out.
The digital records further reference an alleged Rs 2 crore cash settlement connected to a matter involving an IPS officer. As per the details found in the records, this amount was discussed as a direct payout to a complainant in a harassment matter. However, investigators have emphasized that it remains unverified whether the IPS officer personally received any portion of this money, leaving their direct financial involvement unconfirmed. In a separate finding, a PCS officer is accused of routing funds through Sharda to obtain no-objection certificates for private nursing colleges and medical centres.
Roots in the October 2025 Bribery Arrest
The current findings stem from the arrest of Krishnu Sharda in October 2025, when he was apprehended alongside suspended DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar. The duo had been taken into custody while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a complainant, which authorities stated was an installment of a much larger illegal demand. Following that operation, investigators expanded their inquiry to assess whether Sharda acted merely as an isolated broker or ran an extensive liaison network linking corporate interests with state officials.
The agency is now cross-referencing the encrypted chats with bank account statements and broader digital trails to substantiate the money trail. While the appearance of names in communication records does not establish legal guilt, the agency is reviewing the material to determine individual accountability, verify financial flows, and confirm the authenticity of the records.
