Punjab: ANTF nabs sarpanch’s husband with drugs in Patiala

The accused, Dharminder Singh, the husband of sarpanch Sarabjeet Kaur, was caught with 70 kg poppy husk, 50 kg poppy straw, 77 kg ganja, 250 gm opium and ₹13 lakh drug money. He was arrested on April 1. Police also seized four cars, including some SUVs, from his possession.

The anti-narcotics task force (ANTF) of Punjab Police, on Monday, claimed to have arrested the husband of the sarpanch of Patiala’s Raipur Mandlan village with a large cache of drugs.

BJP leader Jai Inder Kaur shared photos of the accused with AAP MLAs and claimed that he had close links with one of the MLAs of the party. (HT File)

The accused, Dharminder Singh, the husband of sarpanch Sarabjeet Kaur, was caught with 70 kg poppy husk, 50 kg poppy straw, 77 kg ganja, 250 gm opium and ₹13 lakh drug money. He was arrested on April 1. Police also seized four cars, including some SUVs, from his possession.

As per information, the Dharminder is a history-sheeter with around 11 cases of drug and liquor smuggling.

BJP leader Jai Inder Kaur shared photos of the accused with AAP MLAs and claimed that he had close links with one of the MLAs of the party.

As per the FIR registered by ANTF in Mohali, which HT has copy of, Dharminder has been booked under Sections 15, 18, 21 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Superintendent of police AS Aulakh said the accused is being thoroughly questioned.

Anti-drug campaign: Police carry out checks at bus stands

Chandigarh As part of its anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, Punjab Police conducted a cordon and search operation (CASO) at 225 bus stands on Monday, the 38th day of the campaign. Around 2,947 people were checked at the bus stands. Police teams conducted raids at 466 other locations, leading to the arrest of 38 drug smugglers and registration of 31 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Punjab Police also carried out searches at different jails in six districts.