Following strictures from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Panchkula Police took swift action and arrested two police officers involved in a large-scale mining scam. The scam, which came to light in December 2024, involved a network of police officials and illegal miners who coordinated through WhatsApp groups.
The groups “Mauli Barwala Traffic,” “Har Mahadev,” and “Punjab Transport” have come under scrutiny as part of the investigation. Deepak Sharma, a Home Guard, acted as a middleman between the police and illegal miners. An FIR was registered in December 2024 at Chandimandir police station.
On Thursday, the local police produced head constable Nafe Singh and EHC Inderjeet in court and placed them in remand for further questioning. The police are now investigating their financial transactions to uncover the full extent of the scam.
The High Court had earlier expressed concern over the lack of arrests in the case, despite the identification of 82 individuals involved. The court also raised issues about the slow progress of the investigation, noting that senior police officers might be trying to avoid scrutiny. As a result, the Commissioner of Police, Panchkula, has been directed to appear in court on March 3.
The investigation is still ongoing, with ACP Vikram confirming that they are making progress with the arrests and further examination of the illegal mining network. The two arrested officials were both stationed in the Haryana State Enforcement Bureau.
