194-kg heroin seizure: Arrest warrant issued against absconding ex-Akali leader

Anwar Masih, who on interim bail on health grounds, was asked by the court to report at jail within seven days but he did not

A court in Amritsar on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Anwar Masih, an accused in the 194-kg heroin seizure case, who is absconding.

The heroin was smuggled from Pakistan via a Gujarat port, it was found in the investigation. (HT photo)

On July 12, Masih, a former member of Punjab Subordinate Service Selection Board and was on interim bail on health grounds, was asked by the court to report in jail within seven days. Masih, however, purportedly consumed a poisonous substance during a protest outside the special task force (STF)’s Amritsar office the next day, alleging police harassment. He was admitted to a private hospital.

Masih was supposed to present himself in the court on Monday, but the hearing was adjourned for a day. “The court issued his arrest warrant after Masih didn’t turn up on Tuesday. He is now absconding and our teams are working to nab him,” said STF deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Vawinder Mahajan.

The STF had recovered the contraband from a house owned by Masih at the instance of one Sukhbir Singh alias Happy, who was arrested with 6-kg heroin in Mohali.

Masih had rented out his house to another accused Sukhwinder Singh since December 2019. The STF had claimed that Masih was taking ₹80,000 monthly rent from the accused and was aware of the fact that a drug smuggling racket was being run on his premises.

Later, the police arrested seven people, including Masih and an Afghanistan national. More people, including racket kingpin Simranjit Singh alias Sandhu, were named in the case. The heroin was smuggled from Pakistan via a Gujarat port, it was found in the investigation.

The Afghan national was helping the other accused in processing the contraband.