Officers shifted on administrative grounds, says ED
Monday, 19/01/2015
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
JALANDHAR: After the transfer of two officers of the Enforcement Directorate ( ED) probing Punjab’s multi-crore narcotics nexus created a political storm, the central agency’s headquarters stated on Sunday that that the staff were shifted “on administrative grounds”.
Of the two officers, ED’s northern region special director Karnal Singh, and assistant director Niranjan Singh, the latter was leading the probe in which politicians, including Shiromani Akali Dal firebrand and Punjab revenue minister, have been quizzed. Niranjan has been shifted to Kolkata, where, as per the ED, there is a shortage of officers to handle major cases, including the Saradha chit-fund scam.
In his letter to some vernacular media groups, ED head office deputy director Rajeshwar Singh from Delhi denied reports that the transfers had been made after some “mobile call” intercepted by a central agency on January 3.
Karnal, as special director for central region, New Delhi, was holding additional charge of the northern region, said the letter, adding that his replacement, Sanjay Shrinet, had already been picked by the government “a few months ago”. Shrinet is expected to join next week.
About Niranjan — investigating officer in a drug moneylaundering racket allegedly run by arrested former cop Jagdish Bhola and his associates — the letter said, “As there is shortage of officers in the Kolkata office that is investigating very important and major money-laundering cases including Saradha chit dund, Rose Valley, Sea Shore […], Niranjan has been deputed for the assignment keeping in view his investigative skills and his excellent track record in handling difficult cases,” according to the letter, a copy of which is with HT. The letter came as certain reports said the officer had been transferred after interception of a mobile phone call between the Punjab ED sleuths and an important political personality of the state by another central agency.
On the political front, the opposition has been alleging that the transfers were made by the BJPled Union government to improve relations with partner SAD.
Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said in Ludhiana, meanwhile, that ED transfers were the central government’s call, and the state was not even in the know.
