NIA takes over 194-kg heroin seizure case from Punjab STF
Prime accused Sandhu of Amritsar is also wanted in 300kg drug haul case by Gujarat ATS; to be extradited from Italy
AMRITSAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the 194kg heroin haul case from Punjab Police’s special task force (STF) considering its international ramifications, said an official aware of the development on Saturday.
The NIA is trying for kingpin Simranjit Singh Sandhu’s extradition from Italy. Sandhu, a native of Amritsar, is also wanted in a drug-trafficking case in which 300kg heroin was smuggled from Pakistan to Mandvi in Gujarat through sea route in 2018.
In February last year, the SFT
had recovered 194-kg heroin and chemicals from a house in Sultanwind area of Amritsar, which was registered in the name of former member of the Subordinate Service Selection Board (SSSB) Anwar Masih on the disclosure of one Sukhbir Singh, alias Happy, who was arrested with 6-kg heroin in Mohali.
After the raid, police also arrested seven people, including Masih and an Afghan national. During investigation, many more people were named in the case, including Sandhu. The heroin was smuggled from Pakistan via a Gujarat port, the investigation had found.
Besides heroin, suspected 38.2-kg dextromethorphan and 25.9-kg caffeine powder, along with six drums of chemicals, were recovered from the house. The Afghan national, who was identified as Arman Basharmal, had travelled to India and was helping the accused in processing and increasing the quantity of the contraband. Masih had given his house on rent to another accused Sukhwinder Singh since December 2019 at Rs 80,000 per month.
“We have received an order saying the case has been taken over by the premier anti-terror investigation agency considering its international ramifications. A team of the NIA is expected to reach Amritsar in a few days to begin its probe. We will hand over our probe records to the team,” said a senior STF official, who didn’t wish to be named.
“Racket’s kingpin Simranjit Singh Sandhu is presently living in Italy. The NIA got issued a red-corner notice (RCN) through Interpol against Sandhu in a case that was registered by the Gujarat anti-terrorist squad. His extradition was also approved, but he filed an appeal in an Italian court. It is expected that Sandhu will soon be brought to India,” he added.
In 2018, Gujarat ATS had seized 5kg heroin in Salaya, a city in Dwarka district. Two persons, Rafiq Sumra and Abdul Aziz Bhagad, were arrested after the seizure. The Gujarat ATS’S investigation had found that they had brought 300kg heroin in two rounds through the sea route and Sandhu’s name emerged as the kingpin of the case. The NIA took over this case in July 2020. The 300kg consignment that was smuggled by Sandhu and his men into India was transported to Punjab and other north Indian states in trucks carrying cumin.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP-STF) Amritsar, Vawinder Mahajan, who is one of the investigation officers in the 194-kg heroin case, confirmed the NIA taking over the case, but didn’t divulge details.