E-Paper
Punjab: Big fish Chatha in NCB net
Sandeep Singh, son of Jhirmal Singh and a resident of Rasulpur Rohi village in Amritsar district, is a known history-sheeter with deep roots in narcotics trafficking, as per officials, who stated that he has been involved in seven criminal cases, including three cases under the NDPS Act, since 2013.
In a major action against organised drug trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chandigarh Zonal Unit, in coordination with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Punjab Police, has detained notorious drug trafficker Sandeep Singh alias Chatha under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act, 1988.
Sandeep Singh, son of Jhirmal Singh and a resident of Rasulpur Rohi village in Amritsar district, is a known history-sheeter with deep roots in narcotics trafficking, as per officials, who stated that he has been involved in seven criminal cases, including three cases under the NDPS Act, since 2013.
His activities first came under serious scrutiny during 2017–18, when he was arrested twice by the Tarn Taran and Amritsar police. Despite repeated arrests, he continued to expand his drug trafficking operations, including cross-border networks, making him a key figure in the illicit drug trade, said the officials.
A significant breakthrough came in 2022, when the NCB Chandigarh Zonal Unit arrested Sandeep Singh in NCB Crime No. 79/2022. During the operation, two illegal drug manufacturing laboratories were dismantled, leading to the seizure of 40 kg of heroin, 0.557 kg of opium, and 23.645 kg of caffeine, along with other chemicals used for heroin processing. The operation also resulted in the recovery of 31 live cartridges and one magazine, while 22 members of the drug syndicate were arrested.
Further investigation revealed that Sandeep was a key operative handling large-scale heroin consignments across multiple states. He was also found to be involved in the transportation of 120 kg raw heroin from Ludhiana to Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the interstate reach of the syndicate.
As part of the financial probe, the NCB froze movable and immovable assets worth ₹58.6 crore, including illegally acquired properties valued at ₹34.77 lakh linked directly to Sandeep.
Investigators also unearthed his nexus with Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, a notorious criminal allegedly involved in supplying weapons and narcotics from Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab, Delhi, and Haryana.
Both were earlier arrested together in FIR No. 45/2017, related to the seizure of 500 grams of heroin by Taran Taran Police. To prevent further criminal activities, the NCB pursued a proposal for preventive detention under the PITNDPS Act in September 2025, following which the central government issued a detention order on November 27, 2025. After sustained coordination between ANTF Punjab and NCB Chandigarh, Sandeep was detained and served the order on January 7, 2026.
Officials added that three other associates of the syndicate—Akshay Chabra, Jaspal Goldy, and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria—have already been detained under the PITNDPS Act, making Sandeep the fourth member of the network to face preventive detention outside the state.
