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AAP posts interviews of drug convicts who are demanding my security removal: Ex-ED officer

Niranjan Singh, former deputy director Enforcement Directorate (ED), wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday, stating the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on its social media platforms shared interviews of some of the convicts and undertrials in the case, demanding removal of his security.

Singh wrote, “I was investigating the cases of international drug trafficking in Punjab in the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act."

Former Enforcement Directorate (ED) deputy director Niranjan Singh, who had probed the Rs 6,000-crore Jagdish Singh Bhola synthetic drug racket and also questioned former Punjab revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia in this connection, wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday, stating the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on its social media platforms shared interviews of some of the convicts and undertrials in the case, demanding removal of his security.

“This gives the impression that these criminals are being protected to target and endanger my security,” he said, urging him to “ensure their nefarious intentions do not succeed”.
Singh wrote, “I was investigating the cases of international drug trafficking in Punjab in the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The investigation into these cases was being monitored by the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court in C WP 20359-2013 (O&M), and the Hon’ble High Court ordered the government of Punjab vide orders dated. 15.09.2014 to provide security to the undersigned as the persons to be investigated/ interrogated were part of international drug trafficking.”

“The purpose of security was to ensure confidence and safety for the I0 (investigation officer) to work fearlessly to discharge the duties of investigation and prosecution of the accused. I investigated the matter, filed 07 chargesheets against 71 accused persons, attaching properties/assets of accused worth many hundred crores of rupees and succeeded in securing convictions/ punishment of 19 accused persons in 2024 and trials against the remaining 45 accused are pending in the Special Court in Mohali,” Singh stated.

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The letter further reads: “It has appeared in social media that some persons convicted of drug trafficking/ money laundering by the trial courts are giving interviews in which they are questioning the security cover provided to the undersigned publicly, calling for removal of the security and these interviews are being shared by the Aam Aadmi Party on its social media platforms, which gives an impression that these criminals are being protected to target and endanger my security.”

“It is, therefore, requested that the government take appropriate action in the matter to ensure that the criminals, convicted/ facing trial, do not succeed in their nefarious intentions,” he urged the CM.
A copy of his letter was also sent to the DGP, Punjab Police.

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