Vindicated, says former ED officer Niranjan who probed Bhola case

Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 30
“Vindicated”—This was the first reaction of former Enforcement Directorate Deputy Director Niranjan Singh on the conviction of Arjuna awardee wrestler-turned-Punjab Police officer Jagdish Singh Bhola, who was facing trial for drug smuggling, and 16 others by a Mohali court in a money laundering case today.
Niranjan paused for long as he reflected on his 12-year-long struggle for justice in the case as he faced “threats” from smugglers, police officials and politicians. He was transferred and even removed from the investigation.
Registered in 2012, the Jagdish Bhola case proved to be a watershed moment in Punjab as the former police officer was the first big fish to be caught for running a wide network of drug smuggling.

Faced threats, was shifted

• Though Niranjan Singh (pic) was facing threats, the then Congress government under Capt Amarinder Singh withdrew his security
• uring the SAD-BJP regime during 2012-17, he was transferred to Kolkata when he had just started probing the case
• Niranjan alleges his seniors even told his colleagues to hound him when he refused to compromise with the investigation
  An ace wrestler having won a silver medal in the 1991 Asian Wrestling Championships, Bhola had famously said the “illegal business was worth Rs 6,000 crore” and had even named a prominent Akali leader. It was Niranjan’s investigation that led to the registration of a case against the Akali leader.
  “The case had become a battle of prestige. On one side, youth in Punjab were succumbing to drugs and on the other, several high and mighty were indulging in the illicit drug trade. This strong group of influential persons, having connections everywhere, would not let any honest official carry out an investigation,” said Niranjan.
  Even though he was facing threat to his life, the former Congress government under Capt Amarinder Singh withdrew his security. Earlier, during the SAD-BJP government from 2012-17, he was transferred to Kolkata when he had just started the investigation against Bhola. “One of my seniors even told my colleagues to hound me as I refused to compromise with the investigation,” he said.
  As the wheels of justice trudged slowly, Niranjan had taken to social media to narrate his ordeal. He wrote several episodes on his social media account, besides putting out video messages, in his bid to “expose the smugglers and those supporting them”.
  Niranjan, who retired in May 2021, had submitted a chargesheet against 23 persons, of whom four died during the trial of the case, two were declared proclaimed offenders while the remaining 17 were convicted today.