The accused Inspector Inderjeet Singh was arrested from Jalandhar where he was posted in the Crime Investigation Agency wing of Punjab Police
Bringing the role of some of the Punjab police officers under scanner, the Special Task Force (STF) formed by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to end drug menace arrested a CIA Inspector from Jalandhar for allegedly shielding drug smugglers and carrying out drug trafficking through associates.
The accused Inspector Inderjeet Singh was arrested from Jalandhar where he was posted in the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) wing of Punjab Police. The police have recovered 9mm pistol made in Italy, an AK 47, Rs 16.5 lakhs cash, 3,550 pounds, 4 kg heroin and 3 kg smack and 38 live cartridges of various caliber from his possession.
Apart from allegedly provided protection to smugglers of narcotics operating in his jurisdiction, he was himself involved in smuggling and trafficking of narcotics. STF Chief ADGP Harpreet Singh Siddhu said the Inspector made huge recoveries in over ten NDPS cases in 2013 and 2014, but in these cases the accused managed to get acquitted. "There were glaring discrepancies during investigation which appeared to be a deliberate attempt to favor the accused. There was a similar and observable pattern in which acquittal took place," said Siddhu.
First, he was not competent to investigate the case as per rules of the NDPS Act, 1985, since he held the substantive rank of Head Constable at the time of the registration of the case. Secondly, the police found some memos and police records allegedly tempered, which led the STF to narrow down the Inspector.
"He made recoveries, but with motive of obtaining illegal gratification from those in his custody with promise to help them in legal cases and later getting some of them acquitted. The cover of recoveries was used to participate in the drug trade," he said adding a case under provisions of the IPC and sections of the NDPS Act and Arms Act was registered against him.
The STF Chief who has earlier pointed out the alleged connivance of certain mid-level police personnel posted in the border areas with the drug smugglers said, the incident should serve as a signal to those involved in the drug trade.
The STF has already begun analysis of cases acquitted of commercial quantity narcotics recovered during the period of last five years to unearth the alleged connivance of police officials in drug trade and the entire network of smugglers.
Highlighting that the major focus of STF was to block the supply of synthetic drugs, mainly heroin, Siddhu said, "There is more prevalence of non-synthetic drugs in Southern Punjab, but our focus is to cut this heroin supply in border areas. The war on drugs is a winnable war and we will win it."
Siddhu, however, refused to comment on the alleged nexus of drug smugglers with politicians and said it was a matter of investigation. "We will take action if any of them is found involved," he said.
The STF has recovered 25.5 kgs of heroin in last two months and arrested as many as 200 accused in a total of 149 cases registered across the state.
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