Punjab Narcotics seizure case: NIA freezes Rs 1.34-cr linked to chargesheeted accused Amritpal Singh

New Delhi [India], November 9 : In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken a decisive measure to freeze assets valued at Rs 1,34,12,000 of one chargesheeted accused Amritpal Singh in a case pertaining to the recovery of 102.784 kg heroin valued at approximately Rs 700 crores from Punjab's Amritsar, the agency said on Thursday.
The NIA took the measures on November 8 after the funds were identified as 'illegally acquired property' allegedly belonging to Amritpal, a resident of Tarn Taran district in Punjab.
This development stems from the NIA case in which Amritpal has been chargesheeted.
The case pertains to the recovery and seizure of a total of 102.784 kg heroin valued at approximately Rs 700 crores on April 24, 2022, and April 26, 2022, by Indian Customs. This illicit heroin consignment from Afghanistan entered India through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, Amritsar on April 22, 2022. The contraband was ingeniously concealed in a shipment of Licorice roots (Mulethi).
Initially, the case was registered by the Indian Customs in Amritsar and later the NIA took over the investigations, which revealed that the Rs 700 crore worth of heroin consignment was being smuggled into India through the land border, on the directives of Dubai-based absconding accused Shahid Ahmed.
"The intricate smuggling web involves Afghan-based co-accused Nazir Ahmed Qani, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan, who dispatched the illicit heroin consignment. The contraband was to be delivered to Delhi-based accused Razi Haider Zaidi," said the NIA.
As per the anti-terror agency, the heroin was meant for distribution across various parts of the country, aimed at reaping substantial monetary gains.
On December 16 last year, a chargesheet in this case was filed against four accused namely Shahid Ahmed, also known as Qazi Abdul Wadood, Nazir Ahmed Qani, Razi Haider Zaidi and Vipin Mittal.
NIA investigations uncovered that the cash amounting to Rs 1,34,12,000 seized from the premises of Amritpal was 'proceeds of drugs'.
"Investigations have revealed that Amritpal orchestrated the transfer of funds from 2019 to 2021, depositing them directly into the bank accounts of accused individuals Shahid Ahmed, alias Qazi Abdul Wadood, and Razi Haider Zaidi. Additionally, funds were surreptitiously channelled through Hawala transactions," said the NIA.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 68 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, the cash seized from the premises of Amritpal Singh has been frozen, added the federal agency.