DSP booked for ‘aiding’ drug suppliers
Anti-Narcotic Task Force filed a case against DSP Mahajan under charges of corruption after probe revealed that he has been “supporting” drug suppliers by engaging in corrupt practices
The Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) has booked deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Vavinder Kumar Mahajan under charges of corruption after probe revealed that the latter has allegedly been supporting drug suppliers by engaging in corrupt practices, said director general of police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, here on Thursday.
In this regard, an FIR has been registered under Sections 7 and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 59 (2) of the NDPS Act, highlighting the severity of the offences committed and the abuse of power.
Yadav said that the ANTF has taken decisive action against corruption within its own ranks after recent investigations into a case pertaining to the seizure of 1.98 crore Alprazolam tablets and 40 kg of raw Alprazolam registered in February 2024, revealed that DSP Vavinder Kumar Mahajan, who was posted as DSP, ANTF, and his accomplice, Akhil Jai Singh from Lucknow, were involved in a bribery scheme. Presently, DSP Mahajan is posted as DSP in the 9th Battalion PAP, Amritsar.
The DGP said that during a joint inspection at M/s Smilax Pharmachem Drug Industries in May 2024, the ANTF team discovered serious NDPS Act violations. “Preliminary investigation in the case revealed that DSP Mahajan had accepted a bribe of ₹45 lakh from M/s Aster Pharma to protect them from legal consequences,” he said.
The special DGP, ANTF, Kuldeep Singh said that after the two vital witnesses given voluntary statements before the judicial officer and further corroborated by financial and technical evidence exposed misconduct by the accused, DSP Mahajan, the ANTF decided to take legal action against the latter.
A raid was conducted at the residence of the accused DSP in Amritsar by the ANTF team, but he could not be apprehended, and he is on the run, he said, while adding that further investigation is under progress.