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ATS digs up more dirt on arrested cop
Skeletons have started tumbling out of the cupboard of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Saji Mohan, arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for possession of drugs, reports Debasish Panigrahi.
Skeletons have started tumbling out of the cupboard of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Saji Mohan, arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for possession of drugs.
During interrogation, the ATS has learnt that the Jammu and Kashmir cadre officer not only pilfered 60 kilograms of high-grade white heroin from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) godown at Chandigarh but also let off drug runners for monetary considerations.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG), ATS, Param Bir Singh said Mohan had accepted Rs 30 lakh from drug runners to let them off.
He said Mohan had prior to that diverted Rs 13 lakh to his personal account from cash seized in drug raids.
“Of the 60-kilogram pilfered heroin, Mohan sold off 20 kilograms in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Singh.
“The remaining 40 kilograms was recovered in Mumbai,” Singh added.
On January 25, Mohan was arrested from a club in Oshiwara and the ATS recovered a consignment of 12.7 kilograms of white heroin from him.
An assessment of Mohan’s property and investments is also underway.
Singh said Mohan had a three-bedroom flat in Kochi, which he had purchased recently on loan, and a Honda Civic car.
The DIG said the car had been purchased using his ill-gotten money.
Singh said the ATS was now trying to go into Mohan’s actions in Chandigarh, where he was posted as a zonal director of the NCB till December 2008.
“We are going through each and every seizure made by the NCB during that period and tallying figures,” Singh said. “This is to find out the amount of pilferage.”
The ATS is taking the help of the NCB in Chandigarh, especially three of Mohan’s juniors, superintendent Balwinder Kumar and constables Devendra Palsingh and Navin Kumar.
The trio, once close confidants of Mohan, are currently being questioned.
Investigations have also revealed that Mohan had stored a large quantity of white heroin in the Naigaon flat of an alleged associate, fisheries exporter Vicky Oberoi, for about three months since he wanted an international buyer for the expensive consignment.
It is learnt that Mohan developed contacts with at least three African suppliers in the city through Oberoi and a deal was on the cards. But before that happened, the ATS got hold of Oberoi and learnt of the likely deal.
