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With ₹6.69 crore in banks, drug inspector on STF radar
The Punjab Police special task force (STF) has frozen 24 bank accounts with ₹6.69 crore in them linked to a drug inspector who allegedly facilitated the network of jailed drug smugglers, officials said on Thursday.
Chandigarh
The Punjab Police special task force (STF) has frozen 24 bank accounts with ₹6.69 crore in them linked to a drug inspector who allegedly facilitated the network of jailed drug smugglers, officials said on Thursday.
Police have also seized cash and foreign currency during a series of coordinated raids conducted at different locations in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
The raids were conducted as part of the ongoing investigations into allegations against drug inspector Shishan Mittal, posted in Fazilka, of facilitating drug smuggling operations connected to illegal pharmaceutical and medical stores and laundering the drug money in the benami accounts in names of his relatives, officials said. The raids were carried out at eight locations in Bathinda, Maur Mandi, Gidderbaha, Mohali, Chandigarh and Fatehabad in Haryana.
Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the bank accounts frozen were in Mittal’s name, as well as in the name of his relatives, with the total amount in these accounts reaching ₹6.69 crore.
In addition, police also seized three bank lockers, he said, adding that police teams have observed serious financial irregularities, whereby frequent cash deposits in these benami accounts have been done and layered under several transactions to conceal the source of origin.
He said that during raids, the STF has recovered ₹9.31 lakh in cash, 260 gm of gold and 515 Dirhams. Furthermore, substantial assets acquired through the proceeds of illegal activities were also identified, including flats valued at ₹2 crore in Zirakpur, a plot in Dabwali worth ₹40 lakh among many others, he added.
The DGP said that preliminary investigation suggested that the accused drug inspector had been regularly in touch with smugglers lodged inside jails and facilitated their network outside. The probe also found that the accused drug inspector was travelling to foreign countries frequently without taking permission from the government or availing ex-India leave, he added.
“Further investigations are ongoing and action will be taken as per the outcomes of investigation,” said the DGP.
A case under Section 29 (conspire or abet the commission of offences related to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) and 59 (a public servant who wilfully supports or abets drug smugglers, or neglects their duties concerning the enforcement of drug laws, can be subjected to severe penalties, including imprisonment) of the NDPS Act and Section 111 (organised crime) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered.
