E-Paper
Police-drug mafia nexus: STF initiates process to attach sacked Punjab Police AIG Raj Jit’s properties
On the request of STF, Union ministry of finance and department of revenue have issued notices to dismissed cop, his wife and daughter to appear before the competent authority on Feb 9
Chandigarh : The special task force (STF) of Punjab Police has initiated proceedings to attach properties belonging to dismissed assistant inspector general (AIG) Raj Jit Singh Hundal, who is facing drug trafficking charges, and his family.
On the request of the STF, the Union ministry of finance and department of revenue have issued notices to Raj Jit, his wife and his daughter to file their reply against the attachment proceedings of their properties.
The STF has identified nine properties --- including a palatial house registered in the name of Raj Jit’s wife name in Mohali --- that will be attached under Section 64 (F) of NDPS Act. The registered value of these properties has been pegged at over ₹4 crore, officials aware of the matter said.
According to rules, notices for personal hearing for property owners are to be served on them as per the guidelines to file a reply.
”You are directed to attend the hearing before the competent authority, Delhi, on February 9 along with necessary documents/papers showing details of exact date of acquisition/purchase of the seized/frozen properties etc in support of your freezing order,” the notices served on Raj Jit’s family members dated January 31 read.
Raj Jit is absconding since October 20 after cancellation of his interim bail by the Punjab and Haryana high court. He is wanted both by the Punjab vigilance bureau and STF in disproportionate assets and drugs case, respectively.
Raj Jit, who is accused of running a police-drugs smuggler nexus by helping dismissed Punjab Police inspector Inderjit Singh, was dismissed from service by the Punjab government on April 17 last year.
He was named co-accused in an FIR registered on June 12, 2018, against dismissed inspector Inderjit by the STF under Sections 120-B, 218 and 384 of the IPC and Sections 59 and 39 of the NDPS Act.
The vigilance bureau had also booked Raj Jit under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly owning assets disproportionate to his sources of income. It is alleged that he and his family conducted transactions worth ₹13 crore in 10 years which were beyond his known sources of income.
On October 6 last year, the Punjab and Haryana high court stayed his arrest after which he joined the probe. However, the stay was vacated on October 20 after which he disappeared. It was on November 28, last year that Raj Jit was denied any protection by the Supreme Court.
