ED Secures Conviction of Two Men in ₹10 Lakh Money Laundering Case Linked to Cocaine Trafficking
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Chandigarh Zonal Office-I, has secured the conviction of Dara Singh and Gurdarshan Singh in a money laundering case linked to drug trafficking involving 1.230 kg of cocaine. The verdict highlights the agency’s efforts to target the financial proceeds generated through illegal drug-related activities.
On September 3, 2026, the Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in SAS Nagar, Mohali, convicted both accused of money laundering under Section 3, punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002. The court sentenced each of them to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹5,000 each.
The ED initiated its investigation based on an FIR registered by the Punjab Police. Both accused had also been convicted in the related scheduled offence under Sections 22 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
During its investigation, the ED identified two cheques worth ₹6 lakh and ₹4 lakh, totalling ₹10 lakh, which were linked to dealings involving the contraband.
In its judgment, the court held that both the contraband and the two cheques fell within the definition of “property” under the PMLA and constituted “proceeds of crime” because they arose from criminal activity connected to the scheduled offence.
The conviction underscores the ED’s approach of pursuing not only drug-related offences but also the money and assets associated with them. By targeting the financial networks behind illicit drug trafficking, the agency aims to disrupt the flow of funds that supports such criminal activities.
News Source : Directorate of Enforcement (ED) – Official Press Release, Government of India
