Ambala Cantonment: House belonging to arrested drug peddler razed
An ‘illegal’ building owned by a man who was arrested with drugs on July 11 was demolished by a joint team of Ambala municipal council and police in Kumhar Mandi on Tuesday
An ‘illegal’ building owned by a man who was arrested with drugs on July 11 was demolished by a joint team of Ambala municipal council and police in Kumhar Mandi on Tuesday.
Relatives of the accused, Parveen Kumar, were living in the building and police started the demolition process by removing their belongings and the electricity connection.
Rajesh Kumar, secretary of the civic body, said that due process was followed and notices were served that remained unanswered, before the house constructed over 70 gaj (square yards) was razed by two JCBs.
“Police department sent case files to determine if the land was constructed on municipal land or not and it was found that it was. Now, it has been bulldozed along with an encroachment belonging to another resident built over 55-60 square yards of land,” Kumar said.
As per police records, Kumar was recently arrested with intoxicant capsules in commercial quantity on July 11, and had similar drugs cases registered against him in 2016 and 2017. Other than this, he has been convicted in 10 cases under the Gambling Act and also named in a 2011 house trespass case, a police spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that as per superintendent of police Jashandeep Singh Randhawa, police have powers to confiscate property belonging to a drug peddler that has been built using drug money under Section 68-E of the NDPS Act
Similarly, under Section 68-F of the Act, a proposal on the said properties can be sent to the authorities concerned for action, the statement read.
Randhawa said that during investigation in the July case, it was found that the concerned ‘illegal’ structure was being used for criminal activities like gambling and drug trafficking.
“So, we wrote to the authorities concerned seeking action. Accordingly, police protection was given to MC teams that undertook the anti-encroachment drive. Parveen Kumar’s wife is also involved in illegal activities and is on the run,” the SP said.
Reacting on the development, Haryana home minister and Cantt MLA Anil Vij said that strict action is being taken against those involved in drug trafficking. “Those selling drugs should either leave this business or Haryana. We have constituted teams and their properties that have been built using the drug money are being bulldozed. We have a long list and this action will continue,” the minister said in a statement.
In April this year, an illegal structure allegedly built on government land belonging to a former independent councillor, who has also been with the Congress, Rajesh Kumar, was also razed in the Deha Basti area.
Cops had then said that Kumar’s whole family including his wife and two sons were involved in drug trafficking. The ex-councillor had reportedly confessed to the police that he had built the godown on MC land where a public toilet existed and was being used for illegal activities.