Moga antinarcotics cell incharge held with ₹1.24 lakh drug money

PROBE REPORT Of ₹2.4 lakh found at a peddler’s house, cop kept ₹1.4 lakh; showed seizure of ₹1,580

MOGA : Police have arrested the in-charge of the anti-narcotics cell in Moga with ₹1.24 lakh seized from a drug peddler’s house in the city on August 7.

The matter came to light after an inquiry conducted by Moga deputy superintendent of police (investigation) Harinder Singh indicted inspector Rameshpal Singh for not showing seizure of ₹1.44 lakh drug money. The DSP found the inspector guilty of misusing his position and recommended action against him.

Acting on the report, Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gurpreet Singh Toor directed to register a case against the cop and arrest him. “We have adopted zero tolerance to drugs and taking a strict action against the culprits no matter who they are,” said Toor.

The case was registered under Sections 7 and (13) 2 of the Prevention of Corruption Act at the city police station.

On August 7, the anti-narcotics cell and police had arrested an alleged drug peddler, Sunita Rani, and recovered 5 kilogram poppy husk, ₹2.44 lakh and ornaments from her residence.

A case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The police said though inspector Rameshpal returned ₹97,000 and ornaments to Sunita’s family and asked the investigating officer, Krishan Kumar, to show cash seizure of ₹1,580 and kept ₹1.44 lakh.

The accused inspector was produced in a court on Monday which sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

The police department is also set to start a departmental inquiry against the accused, it has been learnt.

2 ARRESTED IN DRUG OVERDOSE DEATH

The police on Monday arrested two persons in a drug overdose death case. Raj Kumar (24) of Rodde village in the district died due to alleged overdose of drugs on Sunday.

The accused have been identified as Mandeep Singh, an addict and drug supplier, of Rodde village, and Happy of Zira town in Ferozepur district. A case was registered against the two under Section of 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) at the Samalsar police station in Moga.