Jalandhar ED takes major action, former ADC arrested in 91.75-acre common land scam a day before retirement
The Enforcement Directorate's Jalandhar Zonal Office has arrested former Pathankot ADC Kuldeep Singh in a money laundering case involving the alleged illegal transfer of 91.75 acres of common village land and subsequent illegal mining activities.
Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): The Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s Jalandhar Zonal Office has arrested former Pathankot Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Kuldeep Singh. He is accused of illegally transferring 91.75 acres of common village land in the border district, following which illegal mining activities allegedly took place on the land.
The arrest is being considered a significant development in a money laundering investigation. The case relates to the transfer of 734 kanals and one marla of 'shamlat' land in Bhatian village, under Gol Gram Panchayat in Punjab's Pathankot district, to private individuals.
The incident dates back to February 27, 2023. At the time, Kuldeep Singh was serving as the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) and also held the additional charge of ADC (Development). He is accused of passing an order in favour of private individuals in a pending land dispute just one day before his retirement from government service.
Following this, the State Vigilance Bureau registered an FIR against Kuldeep Singh and other accused persons. The FIR alleged that major irregularities had taken place in the transfer of the valuable panchayat land.
The land is situated along the Ravi River, near the international border with Pakistan. It is believed to contain substantial reserves of sand and other minerals.
The ED initiated a money laundering investigation based on the FIR registered by the Vigilance Bureau. The scope of the investigation was subsequently expanded to include the alleged illegal mining and transportation of sand and riverbed materials from the disputed land.
In July 2026, the ED conducted searches at 16 locations in connection with the case. During the operation, the agency seized Rs 1.75 crore in cash and froze bank accounts containing approximately Rs 91.34 lakh. Several important documents related to illegal mining activities were also recovered.
The search operations covered premises linked to stone-crushing firms, including 'Shri Sai Stone Crusher and Screener' and 'Shiv Shankar Stone Crusher', along with their associated entities and people involved in their management.
The investigation has also focused on financial transactions between mining operators and individuals associated with the transfer of the disputed land. A recent report mentioned that a total of Rs 20.70 lakh was transferred from accounts linked to a stone-crushing firm to the wife of a retired official.