Corruption
Ex-ED Deputy Director Alleges Senior Officials Protect ‘Big Fish’ in High-Profile Cases
Retired Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Niranjan Singh, renowned for securing the conviction of drug traffickers Jagdish Bhola and Raja Kandola under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), has once again written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
In his latest 65-page communication, Singh has urged the minister to take action against senior officials who allegedly obstructed his investigations by withdrawing crucial cases from him. He claimed that the interference ensured no convictions in several high-profile cases, allowing influential figures to evade justice.
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According to Singh, he was abruptly removed from investigating key cases, including those involving Inspector Inderjit Singh, AIG Raj Jit Singh, and the illicit liquor tragedy that claimed over 130 lives during the COVID-19 lockdown. He also highlighted alleged corruption involving three retired IAS officers and politicians in the irrigation scam. He asserted that his superiors deliberately derailed investigations to protect the accused.
Singh further alleged that at least 10 Congress MLAs, a minister, and associates of the then Chief Minister were implicated in the 2020 illicit liquor scandal. He claimed that his investigation had exposed a large-scale racket where liquor manufacturers were illegally producing Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and other spirits outside authorized distilleries by diverting raw materials during the lockdown. However, the case was transferred from Punjab to the ED headquarters in New Delhi, preventing key offenders from being brought to justice.
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The ex-ED official claimed that interference in his work began in December 2014, after he summoned former minister Bikram Majithia for questioning in the Jagdish Bhola drug case. He alleged that a senior ED official from Delhi was present during the interrogation, and soon after, he was transferred to Kolkata. Additionally, 14 other team members were relocated to various places, allegedly to weaken ongoing investigations.
Citing ED records presented in Parliament, Singh pointed out that only 99 convictions had been achieved under PMLA by December 2024, of which 25 were secured under his leadership. He revealed that he had written to the finance ministry in October 2023, October 2024, and most recently on January 31, 2025. If his grievances remain unaddressed, Singh has vowed to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court for justice.