In its drive against drug trafficking, the Special Task Force Punjab today arrested five police personnel attached with State Counter Intelligence and three private persons who have snatched 300 gm heroin and extorted Rs 8 lakh from a drug trafficker by impersonating as STF unit Fazilka.Disclosing this Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu ADGP-cum-Chief Special Task Force (STF) and ADGP border range said the STF is working earnestly to break the nexus between drug traffickers and police as well as taking stringent action against rogue elements in law enforcement agencies also. He said that Rajinder Singh Sohal, SP, STF, Mohali unit has received information last light that a police party comprising personnel from Counter Intelligence, Punjab has snatched 300 gm heroin from drug trafficker Narinder Singh and extorted Rs 8 lakh under threat by impersonating as STF unit Fazilka and released him without taking any legal action.
Giving more details of this case Mr Sidhu informed that the police party comprising of Sub Inspector Sushil Kumar (No. 99/Int), Constable Gagandeep Singh (No.950/SMS), both posted in Counter Intelligence Sub-Unit Mansa, Head Constable Jarnail Singh (No.2099/36 PAP) and Constable Harjit Singh (No.2070/3rd IRB), both posted in Counter Intelligence, Sub-Unit Sri Mukatsar Sahib and Sub Inspector Sushil Kumar conspired with other police personnel and went to Lalru area which is out of their jurisdiction."They used their own private cars after changing the number plates and did not informed their senior officers or took permission from them. They stopped the vehicle of Narinder Singh in Lalru area posing as a team from ‘STF unit Fazilka’ and took him forcibly towards Fatehgarh Sahib side", he added.STF chief further added that these police officials first snatched the heroin and later extorted Rs. 8 lakh by forcing him to call his friend in Chandigarh. After getting money and heroin with them, they released Narinder Singh. He said that along with these police personnel, three other private persons namely Gagandeep Singh Mann s/o Gurdas Singh of Kharar, Sukhpreet Singh @ Harry s/o Gurmail Singh from district Bathinda and Vakil Singh @ Kala sarpanch from district Sri Mukatsar Sahib were also involved in committing this crime.
Mr Sidhu said that on finding the information reliable, a case FIR No. 04, dated 04-08-2017 u/s 21/29/61/85 of NDPS Act and 365/384/120-B of IPC has been registered at Police Station, STF at SAS Nagar against all the accused. During the interrogation, they admitted that they had also sold some heroin.He informed that Narinder Singh was earlier involved in NDPS cases and a FIR No. 03 dated 31-07-2017 u/s 21/61/85 of NDPS Act had been registered against him in police station STF SAS Nagar. In this case 550 gm heroin, 4 lakhs cash and one Fortuner SUV No. PB-65-Z-0176 was also recovered from him. He added that the case against police personnel signals the intention of the STF to take action against any personnel involved in drug trafficking and related crime.