ED attaches Rs 8.93 cr worth properties in Punjab drug money laundering case

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Jalandhar Zonal Office, has provisionally attached 15 immovable properties worth Rs 8.93 crore belonging to Dr. Amit Bansal and his family, in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the illegal sale of Buprenorphine/Nalaxone (BNX) drugs by 22 private de-addiction centres in Punjab.

According to officials, the action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, following multiple FIRs filed by Punjab Police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Investigations revealed that Dr. Bansal operated 22 private de-addiction facilities across Punjab. While BNX drugs are prescribed for rehabilitating drug addicts, the ED alleged that Bansal illegally sold the medication, which was then misused for substance abuse.

The proceeds of crime (POC) generated through the illicit sales were allegedly routed through bank accounts of the hospitals, before being transferred to accounts held by Bansal and his family. These funds were allegedly used to acquire the attached immovable assets.

The ED had earlier conducted searches at four locations — Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Barnala, and Mumbai — on July 18, 2025. During the raids, movable assets worth Rs 21 crore, including substantial bank balances of Dr. Bansal, his relatives, and associated entities, were seized. These were provisionally attached via an earlier order dated July 23, 2025.

The case highlights growing concerns over the misuse of de-addiction centres for illegal drug trafficking in Punjab, a state already grappling with a deep-rooted narcotics crisis.

With today’s attachment, the total value of properties frozen in the case stands at nearly Rs 30 crore.

The ED confirmed that further investigation is underway to trace the full money trail and identify other beneficiaries of the alleged drug racket.

--IANS

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