Two convicted for money laundering in narcotics case in Punjab

A special PMLA court here convicted on Tuesday Punjab-based drug dealer Ranjit Singh Kandola and his wife on money-laundering charges in a narcotics case, officials said.

Kandola, also known as Raja Kandola, has been sentenced to nine years in prison while his wife Rajwant Kaur was ordered to undergo three years in jail under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

The money-laundering case stems from a Punjab Police complaint filed after the seizure of narcotic drugs worth Rs 200 crore in June 2012 from a syndicate, which was alleged to be run by Kandola and his associates.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier alleged that Kandola was running a racket to manufacture ‘Ice’ (a party drug) from methamphetamine and ephedrine and was getting supplies of heroin from across the Pakistan border as part of his illegal syndicate business.

The police investigation, which was relied upon by the agency to frame its money-laundering case, found that Kandola was allegedly supplying drugs at various locations in Punjab, Delhi and other big cities of the country.