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New Delhi, The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today alleged that the BJP-led Union Government had transferred Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) main investigator in the drug money-laundering case in Punjab at the behest of its ally, SAD.
It claimed that an attempt was being made to make Delhi the “drug capital” of the country. Ashutosh, AAP spokesperson, claimed that with an eye on the upcoming Delhi poll, the BJP and the SAD had struck an “unholy alliance” to effect the transfer of Niranjan Singh, Jalandhar-based ED Assistant Director, who was leading the probe into the high-profile Rs 6,000 crore money-laundering case.
“The ED official who had questioned Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia was transferred to Kolkata. This timing is suspicious and points to an unholy alliance between the two parties,” Ashutosh said at a press conference here.
Further targeting the SAD-BJP alliance, the AAP spokesman said he feared that the alliance may result in the drug menace gripping Delhi as well.
“After Punjab, an attempt is being made to make Delhi the drug capital of the country,” he alleged, adding that the BJP must snap its alliance with the SAD, if it was serious about addressing the drug problem.
“The BJP cannot fool the people of Delhi on the issue of drug menace by engaging in doublespeak as it continues its alliance with the SAD on the one hand and sheds crocodile tears on the other,” Ashutosh was quoted as having said in an AAP press note. Niranjan Singh’s transfer orders were issued on Friday evening by the ED headquarters, leading to a war of words among various political parties.
ED downplays matter
The ED today sought to downplay the transfer of its main investigator, saying the officer had been “specially selected” to take over an “important assignment” in Kolkata where big scams like Saradha had come to light.
The agency rejected speculation that the transfer orders were issued after purported phone calls between local agency officials and state politicians were detected and reported by central agencies to the ED head office here.
“It is denied that any calls were made on January 3 between a senior ED officer and some politician. It is also denied that any report was given by a central agency to the ED headquarters about any calls.
“There is no truth in the news report (making the above claim) and the report is totally unsubstantiated and false,” ED’s Deputy Director at its headquarters, Rajeshwar Singh, said in a statement.
“Similarly, based on administrative requirement, Niranjan Singh, Assistant Director, has been specially selected for an important assignment at the Kolkata office where there is a shortage of officers and very important and major money-laundering cases, including Saradha Chit Fund, Rose Valley, Seashore and ArthTatwa are being investigated.
“He (Niranjan) has been deputed for the assignment keeping in view his investigative skills and his excellent track record in handling difficult cases,” he said.
Niranjan Singh was part of the ED team that recently questioned Punjab Revenue Minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia in Jalandhar last month. Majithia is brother-in-law of Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal.
(With PTI inputs)
