Congress sarpanch from Punjab among 5 held for smuggling heroin in Gujarat

A sarpanch of a Tarn Taran village , who owes allegiance to the Congress party, and his four associates were arrested for heroin smuggling in Kutch district of Gujarat

A sarpanch of a Tarn Taran village, who owes allegiance to the Congress party, and his four associates were arrested for heroin smuggling in Kutch district of Gujarat.

The accused were arrested in Madhapar village of Kutch on Wednesday (HT Photo)

The Gujarat police have also recovered 420 gm of heroin from the possession of the accused, who were nabbed after a brief encounter with Special Operations Group (SOG) and local Crime Branch of Kutch.

The accused have been identified as Sartaj Singh Sandhu (42), who is sarpanch of Margindpura village falling under the Khemkaran constituency of Tarn Taran district, Ranjeet Singh(30), Daler Singh (47) and Gurbhej Singh (34) of Margindpura village, and Harpreet Singh (27) of Gharyala village in Tarn Taran.

Sources in Punjab Police said the accused were arrested in Madhapar village of Kutch on Wednesday. The Gujarat police had also opened fire on the car in which the accused were travelling as they tried to escape from the spot, the sources added.

Station house officer (SHO) of Kacha Pakka police station of Tarn Taran district, Balraj Singh, said, “Though we have not got any written intimation from the Gujarat police, we have come to know from our sources that the accused were arrested for heroin smuggling. So far, we are verifying the criminal background of the accused. If needed, the accused will be brought on production warrant from Gujarat.” Margindpura village falls under the Kacha Pakka police station.

The SHO said, “Sartaj has a criminal background. He has been facing several criminal cases, including of looting truckloads of basmati rice, and carrying illegal weapons. He is sarpanch of Margindpura village.”

Sartaj, who is reportedly close to former Khemkaran MLA Sukhpal Singh Bhullar, was elected sarpanch unopposed in December 2018. Around a month before being elected as sarpanch, Sartaj was nabbed with an unlicensed .12 bore rifle and 10 cartridges at a naka in Amritsar district’s Chheharta area. He was released on bail after he was remanded for two day police custody. Also a commission agent, Sartaj was arrested in November 2017 by Punjab Police for looting two truckloads of basmati rice at gunpoint in Amritsar. SHO Balraj Singh said it is yet to be ascertained if the accused had gone there to sell or purchase heroin. Former MLA Sukhpal Singh Bhullar said, “I am not aware of Sartaj’s arrest. I will check the facts. If he has done anything wrong, strict action should be taken as per the law.”