Sacked Punjab police inspector Inderjit Singh arrested in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested former Punjab Police Inspector Inderjit Singh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with his alleged involvement in drug-related corruption and money laundering.

Inderjit Singh, once stationed with the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of Jalandhar and Kapurthala, was taken into custody on October 24 and the details were revealed by the ED officials on Wednesday. The Special PMLA Court in Mohali has sentenced Inderjit Singh to judicial custody for fourteen days.

This high-profile case came to light after an FIR filed by the Punjab Police accused Inderjit Singh under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Prevention of Corruption Act and Arms Act. Inderjit Singh’s alleged connections with drug smugglers unraveled, revealing a pattern of misconduct including drug seizures, protection fraud and bribes. He reportedly conducted raids and seized narcotics from traffickers, later negotiating bribes to secure bail and provide them with protection in exchange for money.

The case has thrown light on Inderjit Singh’s corrupt practices. As per the ED investigation, he had earlier apprehended a smuggler, Gurjit Singh, from whom he seized 13 kilos of heroin, Rs 60 lakh in cash and around 19-20 kilos of heroin. tolas of gold. However, Inderjit Singh reported only Rs 36 lakh and kept the remaining cash and gold for himself. Further exploiting his authority, he allegedly extorted Rs 39 lakh from Gurjit Singh’s family through threats and intimidation.

Inderjit Singh’s actions went beyond just financial extortion; he forced Gurjit Singh to transfer ownership of their house in Max Colony, Chheharta, in Amritsar, to one of his associates to protect the smuggler’s family from further legal action. The ED has since attached the property, along with a fixed deposit of Rs 32.42 lakh, under the provisions of the PMLA.

In 2017, Inderjit Singh’s illegal activities attracted widespread attention when the Special Task Force (STF) of the Punjab Police arrested him, leading to the recovery of four kg of heroin, Rs 16.5 lakh in cash, foreign currency worth 3,550 pounds, an AK-47 assault rifle and several vehicles including a Toyota Innova and a Mahindra Scorpio. These items were seized during an STF raid on Singh’s residence, underscoring the extent of his unlawful actions.