NIA files 6th chargesheet against 4 in seizure of 500 kg of heroin at Gujarat's Salaya Port in 2020
Jul 03, 2023
New Delhi [India], July 3 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed its 6th supplementary charge sheet in the case relating to the seizure of 500 kg of heroin being smuggled from Pakistan at Gujarat's Salaya Port in India in 2020.
Four accused have been charge-sheeted in the NIA Special Court in Ahmedabad under Indian Penal Code, Narcotics-Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
As per NIA, a total of 24 persons have been arrested so far in the case and a hunt is on for the remaining nine accused the absconders include wanted Italy-based one of India's most wanted drug smuggler-trafficker Simranjeet Singh Sandhu, Pakistan-based wanted accused Hajisaab alias Bhaijaan, Nabi Baksh and Australia based Tanvir Singh Bedi.
The NIA has managed to trace the linkages of the arrested accused to these wanted criminals.
The case had exposed a huge criminal conspiracy to smuggle illicit drugs into India from Pakistan via the sea route, said the NIA, adding "the consignment was being further smuggled to Punjab through Delhi, where it was brought from Gujarat after landing at the Port there."
"The accused were involved in smuggling, transportation, storage, purification and distribution of illicit drugs," said the anti-terror agency.
All the four accused charge-sheeted are named as Harminder Singh alias Romi Randhawa, Manjit Singh alias Manna, Kuldeep Singh and Malkit Singh-- all residents of Punjab.
The NIA investigations have revealed that they had played a pivotal role in transporting, purifying and distributing the drug in various places across Punjab, and used the drug proceeds to raise and use funds for carrying out activities relating to terror and crime.
"All the for chargesheeted accused had acted on the directions of the wanted accused," said the NIA.
As per NIA investigations, Harminder Singh and Manjit Singh had taken warehouses and residential houses on rent in Punjab's Ludhiana for storage of the smuggled drugs and heroin at the behest of Australia-based wanted accused Tanvir Singh Bedi.
"Kuldeep Singh, alongwith accused Malkit Singh, had aided another accused, Sukhbir Singh alias Happy, in piloting andescorting heroin and drug purification chemical laden vehicles multiple times from New Delhi, Karnal and Kurukshetra to Ludhiana and Amritsar to avoid raising suspicion and police checks, as the Bolero vehicle (on which Kuldeep was employed as a driver by the Gurudwara) was registered in the name of a Gurudwara in Fatehgarh Sahib district (Punjab)," said the agency.
The case was originally registered by Anti-Terrorist Squad of Gujarat on August 12, 2018, following the seizure of heroin from one of the accused, Aziz Abdul Bhagad, who had pilfered 5 kg of the heroin from a 100 kg heroin consignment smuggled into India from Pakistan.
Bhagad had concealed this 5 kg heroin in a pit near his village in Gujarat, leading to his eventual arrest. Considering the national security ramifications international linkages, the Ministry of Home Affairs, had transferred the case to NIA on June 29, 2020.
