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Synopsis

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on July 3rd, filed supplementary chargesheet before NIA Special Court, Ahmedabad against 4 accused persons in a case relating to seizure of 500 kgs of heroin, being smuggled from Pakistan into India, at Salaya Port in Gujarat.

The four accused namely Harminder Singh @Romi Randhawa, Manjit Singh@Manna, Kuldeep Singh and Malkit Singh have been chargesheeted under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) , and Unlawful Activites Prevention Act (UAPA).

“A total of 24 persons have been arrested so far in the case and a hunt is on for the remaining 9 accused who are currently absconding. The absconders include wanted Italy-based one of India’s most wanted drug smuggler-trafficker Simranjeet Singh Sandhu, Pakistan-based wanted accused Hajisaab @Bhaijaan, Nabi Bakshand Australia based Tanvir Singh Bedi. NIA has managed to trace the linkages of the arrested accused to these wanted criminals”, the NIA press release stated.

The NIA investigations revealed that the accused had played a pivotal role in transporting, purifying and distributing the drug in various places across Punjab, and used the drug proceeds to raise and use funds for carrying out activities relating to terror and crime. They had acted on the directions of the wanted accused.

As per NIA investigations, Harminder Singh and Manjit Singh had taken warehouses/residential houses on rent in Ludhiana, Punjab, for storage of the smuggled drugs/heroin at the behest of Australia-based wanted accused Tanvir Singh Bedi. Kuldeep Singh, along with accused Malkit Singh, had aided another accused, Sukhbir Singh @ Happy, in piloting/escorting heroin/drug purification chemical laden vehicles multiple times from New Delhi/Karnal/Kurukshetra to Ludhiana and Amritsar. They did this to avoid raising suspicion and police checks, as the Bolero vehicle (on which Kuldeep was employed as a driver by the Gurudwara)was registered in the name of a Gurudwara in Fatehgarh Sahib district (Punjab).

“The case was originally registered by ATS Gujarat on 12th August 2018, following the seizure of heroin from one of the accused, Aziz Abdul Bhagad, who had pilfered 5 kg of the heroin from a 100kg heroin consignment smuggled into India from Pakistan. He had concealed this 5 kg heroin in a pit near his village in Gujarat, leading to his eventual arrest”, the NIA press release stated.