Drug racket operational from Nabha jail: Chandigarh police nab four more

With arrest of total five gang members for involvement in drug racket operational from Nabha jail, Chandigarh police have so far recovered 35.2 kg poppy husk from their possession

Days after the crime branch of Chandigarh Police arrested a 19-year-old youth with 20.4 kg poppy husk near the Sector 51/52 dividing road, police have arrested four more members of the gang being operated from Nabha jail.

On Wednesday, police brought the gang’s mastermind, Chandan Kumar, on production warrant from Nabha jail and obtained his five-day custody from a Chandigarh court after arresting him in the current case (iStock)

With arrest of total five gang members, police have so far recovered 35.2 kg poppy husk from their possession.

Police on August 16 had arrested Aditya, a native of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, who lives in Sector 52 here.

On his disclosure, police nabbed a truck mechanic, Kaliyan Singh of Nawanshahr, Punjab, with 5.7 kg poppy husk; truck driver Ranjit Singh, alias Kala, of Ludhiana with 4.47 kg poppy husk; and Rajwant Singh, who runs a canteen in Ludhiana, with 4.6 kg poppy husk.

On Wednesday, police brought the gang’s mastermind, Chandan Kumar, on production warrant from Nabha jail and obtained his five-day custody from a Chandigarh court after arresting him in the current case.

He has been lodged in Nabha jail in connection with an NDPS case registered at Mandi Gobindgarh police station last year.

According to police, Aditya, during police remand, revealed that he had been into poppy husk trade and followed instructions of Chandan telephonically.

Police said Aditya used to purchase the drugs from a drug dealer in Chittorgarh on the directions of Chandan. The said dealer used to transport the drug through multiple channels, including bus, train, taxi, motorcycle and truck.

“After procuring the contraband, Aditya used to pack the drugs in small packets and supplied them to different drug peddlers as instructed by Chandan. A number of youths are working for Chandan,” inspector Ashok Kumar said.

DSP Udaypal Singh said after analysing the call details of Aditya, it was established that he had exchanged transactions worth ₹30 lakh in last four months with Ranjit, Rajwant, Kaliyan, Chandan and a key drug supplier from Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, who is still absconding.

Inspector Kumar said most of the time, they dealt in cash for sale and purchase of drugs.