Former ED official alleges political interference in Punjab drug probes; targets former CM Amarinder Singh

Former Enforcement Directorate (ED) Deputy Director Niranjan Singh has leveled serious allegations of administrative and political sabotage regarding the investigation of high-profile drug cases in Punjab.

Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar on Monday, Singh, who led several major narcotics investigations during his tenure, claimed that systemic obstruction prevented his team from dismantling the core networks behind the state’s drug crisis.

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Singh explicitly targeted former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, accusing his administration of impeding the probe into the 2020 illicit liquor tragedy. According to the former ED official, the case was deliberately transferred to hinder the investigation and protect influential figures.

Reflecting on his tenure between 2012 and 2017, when he spearheaded investigations into the Raja Kandola and Bhola drug cases, Singh alleged that his team faced constant pressure. He claimed that 20 officers working under him were transferred as a direct result of their efforts to uncover the truth.

Singh stated that he has submitted multiple formal complaints to the central government between 2023 and 2026. In these communications, he accused former ED directors specifically naming Sanjay Mishra, Karnail Singh, and Rajan Katoch of shielding the subjects of his investigations.

Despite his successful track record, which included 25 convictions and the attachment of assets worth hundreds of crores, Singh asserted that the most critical cases remain stalled. He described the suppression of these investigation files as a “hostile act” against the people of Punjab.

“I have written to the government repeatedly over the last year urging them to resume these investigations, yet the files remain in limbo,” Singh said. He further alleged that certain officials currently within the system are still working to ensure impunity for those involved in the drug trade.

The former official’s statements have once again brought the issue of institutional accountability in Punjab’s drug investigations to the forefront of the public discourse.