ED transfers main investigating officer in Punjab drugs case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has transferred its main investigator in Punjab, who was probing cases related to the high-profile Rs 6,000 crore drugs money laundering crime in the state. Sources said the transfer orders of ED’s Assistant Director Niranjan Singh in Jalandhar were issued last evening by the agency’s headquarters here. It is understood that he was transferred on the ground that many important cases like the Saradha and Rose Valley scams are being probed there and his services would be better used there. Singh was the main investigator in the drugs money laundering case and he was also part of the team which recently questioned Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia in the same case in Jalandhar. [caption id=“attachment_1509545” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A file photo of Punjab Police officials with four kilograms of high grade heroin which they seized at a market in Amritsar. AFP[/caption] The officer was also the main officer for probe into a number of money laundering and forex violations cases that are being conducted in the state for a long time now. “The officer has been transferred to Kolkata. There is no connection with his transfer and the drugs case he was probing. It was felt his services were more required in Kolkata and the regional in-charge there had requested ED headquarters to send some good officers,” sources in the agency said. They said Singh is being sent on “an important” assignment in Kolkata and because of his good work, he is being given a “challenging work”. The officer, last year, along with few other sleuths of the agency was awarded the best ED investigator award at a ceremony and is known as one the finest in the domain of money laundering and foreign exchange violation cases. “Few more officers after Singh would be sent to Kolkata while he will be replaced in Jalandhar with a junior officer from South India,” the sources said. The ED sources also said that the agency will soon file a charge sheet in the drugs money laundering case. The transfer issue has, meanwhile invited criticism with Congress leader Manish Tewari terming it is an “extremely disturbing and regrettable development”. “It raises obvious eyebrows. In the past, the Supreme Court insulated officers who were engaged in sensitive investigations and this insulation has gone across the spectrum. Therefore, if this officer was engaged in a very sensitive investigation, he should not have been transferred in the first place,” he said. Tewari said the Finance Minister should clarify on the issue as the Akali Dal and BJP are in alliance in Punjab. PTI