5 senior Punjab cops suspended for collusion with ex-sarpanch accused of running drug cartel

Officials include already suspended inspector general Paramraj Singh Umranangal who allegedly helped drug cartel kingpin grab land in Ludhiana

The Punjab government has suspended five senior police officers, including controversial inspector general (IG) Paramraj Singh Umranangal, for their alleged complicity with former Rano village (Ludhiana district) sarpanch Gurdeep Singh Rano who was arrested last year by the special task force (STF) for running a high-profile drug cartel.

Former Rano village (Ludhiana district) sarpanch Gurdeep Singh Rano was arrested by the anti-drug special task force last year.

Umranangal is already facing suspension in the 2015 police firing cases.

Two SP-rank officers and DSPs each suspended by the director general of police (DGP) in an order dated March 23 include Varinderjit Singh Thind, assistant commandant, 4th battalion, Pathankot; Faridkot SP (detective) Sewa Singh Malli; and DSPs Parminder Singh Bath and Karansher Singh.

In November last year, the STF had recovered 5.39 kg heroin, illegal arms and luxury vehicles worth ₹3 crore from the accused Gurdeep Rano in a special operation and the probe into the matter had pointed towards the role of police officials and some influential politicians.

Following investigation of the accused, the STF had prepared a detailed report about the complicity of the five cops with the ex-sarpanch who enjoyed a significant political clout in his area. This report was forwarded for action to the DGP on December 2.

A senior STF official said the accused Rano revealed that he used to bear expenses of Umranangal for participating in sports events as chief guest when the latter was posted as DIG Ludhiana range. “The accused also claimed the officer also helped him to take illegal possession of 4 kanals of land behind Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana. He also gave details of Umranangal’s hotel stays and other expenses incurred on him,” the official added.

Varinderjit Singh Thind, who remained Payal DSP during the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) government, provided gunmen to Rano who was elected as sarpanch as an Akali nominee and enjoyed a lot of political clout, the official said. Thind often visited Rano’s house and had also invested ₹25 lakh in his liquor business at the time, the report says.

Also, Sewa Singh Malhi helped Rano reach a compromise in a dispute over a liquor vend and the STF claims to have recovered diary from the ex-sarpanch with details of payments.

“Parminder Singh Bath had also invested ₹8 lakh in Rano’s liquor business, the report says, adding Rano was yet to pay ₹1 lakh to the officer as his share in the profit. Also, Rano had lent money to some persons on the guarantee of DSP Karansher Singh,” the report says.

The STF is probing whether the money used by Rano on the cops came from the drug business only, said the STF official, adding that they have already recorded the officials’ statements.