In one of the biggest mining scams in North India, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Jalandhar Zonal Office, Punjab, has arrested Kuldeep Singh, former Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development), Pathankot, and Nipun Mahajan, who is associated with stone-crushing and mining operations, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The arrests were made on November 11, 2026. The Special Court (PMLA), Jalandhar, granted ED custody of both accused until November 16, 2026.
According to an official spokesperson, the ED investigation was initiated on the basis of FIR No. 26, registered by the Vigilance Bureau, Amritsar, on August 9, 2023. The FIR pertains to the alleged fraudulent transfer of 734 kanal and 1 marla (approximately 92 acres) of common village (shamlat) land at Village Bhattian, Gram Panchayat Gol, Pathankot district, to private individuals. The land is located in the Ravi River belt near the international border.
Approximate straight-line distance of 4.2 km between a point on the Ravi riverbed near Gol village and the international border.
Kuldeep Singh held the additional charge as ADC (Rural Development), Pathankot, from February 24, 2023, until his retirement on February 28, 2023. Lal Chand Kataruchak, the then Punjab Minister for Civil Supplies and Forests, recommended his appointment to the post through a demi-official (DO) letter dated February 23, 2023, addressed to the then Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats.
A request to expedite the issuance of an order regarding the transfer of the shamlat land was conveyed to Kuldeep Singh through an intermediary. According to the ED, Kuldeep Singh stated that, following the request, he issued an order dated February 27, 2023, in favour of private claimants of the shamlat land, just one day before his superannuation.
ED, Jalandhar has arrested Kuldeep Singh, former Pathankot Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) and Nipun Mahajan associated with stone creusher and mining operations under the PMLA, 2002 on 11.11.2026 in connection with fraudulent transfer of 92 acres (734 kanals 1 marla) of prime Ravi River belt village common (shamlat) land in Pathankot to private individuals wherein illegal excavation of sand is being carried out. The Hon’ble Special PMLA Court, Jalandhar has granted ED custody of both the accused till 16.11.2026.
— ED (@dir_ed) November 13, 2026
Nipun Mahajan reportedly revealed that, to obtain possession of the mineral-rich shamlat land, he had entered into power-of-attorney arrangements and purchase agreements with the accused named in the FIR. He also made payments to them through bank transactions and in cash.
Earlier, searches were conducted on July 16, 2026, at 16 premises linked to the case, resulting in the seizure of Rs 1.75 crore in cash from Nipun Mahajan’s premises. Thirty-one bank accounts linked to him and associated persons were also frozen, with aggregate balances of Rs 91.34 lakh as of July 18, 2026.
Further incriminating documents were also recovered during the searches. These revealed that customer receipts were not recorded in the books of accounts and Q-forms were not issued for a substantial portion of sales, indicating the alleged illegal sale of sand and minor minerals through his crusher entities.
IIT Ropar Survey Findings
Shamlat land (approximately 92 acres): A drone and bathymetric survey conducted by a team from IIT Ropar estimated illegal excavation of approximately 30.74 lakh cubic feet, valued at Rs 11.16 crore.
On the basis of information gathered during the investigation, large-scale illegal excavation was also detected at other sites and areas surrounding Bhattian and Gol villages. The IIT Ropar survey report identified 27 illegally excavated pits across seven selected sites in the Bhattian-Gol area. These sites had witnessed illegal excavation of approximately 16.70 crore cubic feet of material, valued at Rs 367.5 crore.
Historical satellite imagery of areas adjoining Bhattian and Chak Koshaliyan villages shows substantial changes in the number, size and extent of excavation pits over the years. The images below illustrate instances of mechanised excavation on land for which no mining lease had been granted by the Punjab Government.
The comparison highlights the scale and persistence of unauthorised mining in Pathankot district. According to the ED, illegal extraction continues unabated.
The ED is continuing to examine land transactions, mineral extraction, crusher sales and financial flows to determine the nature and extent of the proceeds of crime.