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 in Jalandhar and Kapurthala’s Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), was taken into custody on October 24, and the details were revealed on Wednesday by the ED officials. The Special PMLA Court in Mohali has remanded Inderjit Singh to a 14-day judicial custody.

This high-profile case surfaced after an FIR filed by the Punjab Police implicated Inderjit Singh under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, and Arms Act. Inderjit Singh’s alleged connections with narcotics smugglers were unraveled, exposing a pattern of misconduct involving drug seizures, protection rackets, and bribes. He reportedly carried out raids and seized narcotics from traffickers, only to later negotiate bribes for securing bail and provide them protection in exchange for money.

The case has shed light on Inderjit Singh’s corrupt practices. According to the ED’s investigation, he had previously detained a smuggler, Gurjit Singh, from whom he seized 13 kilograms of heroin, Rs 60 lakh in cash, and approximately 19-20 tolas of gold. However, Inderjit Singh only reported Rs 36 lakh and kept the remaining cash and gold for himself. Further exploiting his authority, he reportedly extorted Rs 39 lakh from Gurjit Singh’s family through threats and intimidation.

Inderjit Singh’s actions extended beyond financial extortion; he coerced Gurjit Singh into transferring ownership of their house at Max Colony, Chheharta, in Amritsar, to one of his associates to shield the smuggler’s family from additional 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 illicit activities attracted significant attention when the Special Task Force (STF) of Punjab Police arrested him, leading to the recovery of four kgs of heroin, Rs 16.5 lakh in cash, foreign currency amounting to 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 dealings.