Punjab drug smuggling case: STF initiates proceedings to bring kingpins to India

The accused have allegedly been remotely directing local smugglers regarding receipt and delivery of the consignments

The special task force (STF) has initiated proceedings to bring Harminder Singh Randhawa and Tanveer Bedi, alleged drug smuggling kingpins to Punjab from Thailand and Australia, respectively, for further investigation.

HT Image

The accused are also wanted by the Amritsar police in a 198kg drug haul case.

The accused have allegedly been remotely directing local smugglers regarding receipt and delivery of the consignments.

Another accused in the case, Manjit Singh alias Manna, had named Harminder and Tanveer as the kingpins of the gang on being questioned by the STF, after he and two of his accomplices were arrested with 28kg heroin and 6kg ice drug.

The STF also recovered more drug money belonging to arrested accused Gurdeep Singh Rano, former sarpanch of Payal.

The accused had given ₹25 lakh to a resident of Dhamot village as an advance for buying five acres of agricultural land. Inspector Harbans Singh of the STF said that they came to know about the deal and informed the seller that it was drug money. The seller then cancelled the deal with Rano and handed over documents of agreement and ₹12.5 lakh to the STF. He told the STF that he was not aware of it being drug money and promised that he would hand over the rest of the money in a few days.

Rano and Ravi Singh alias Happy Randhawa were produced before the court on Tuesday. The court remanded the accused to a day in STF custody.