The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a sixth supplementary charge sheet against four persons in connection with the seizure of 500 kg of heroin, smuggled from Pakistan via sea route, at Salaya port in Gujarat. Two dozen accused have been arrested in the case so far, while a hunt is on for nine others.
The absconders include the wanted Italy-based and one of India’s most wanted drug traffickers Simranjeet Singh Sandhu, Pakistan-based Hajisaab, Nabi Baksh and Australia-based Tanvir Singh Bedi. Among those chargesheeted are Harminder Singh, Manjit Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Malkit Singh, all residents of Punjab.
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The NIA probe revealed that the contraband was to be further smuggled to Punjab via Delhi. The four accused were involved in smuggling, transportation, storage, purification and distribution of illicit drugs. Accused Harminder Singh and Manjit Singh had taken warehouses/residential houses on rent in Ludhiana, for storage of the smuggled drugs/heroin at the behest of Australia-based Tanvir Singh Bedi.
Kuldeep Singh, along with accused Malkit Singh, had helped another accused, Sukhbir Singh, in escorting heroin/drug purification chemical-laden vehicles from Delhi, Karnal or Kurukshetra to Ludhiana and Amritsar to evade detection. A vehicle registered in the name of a gurdwara in Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab) was used by them, said the NIA.
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