Bhola drug case: ED takes Canadian NRI in custody

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 29

The Enforcement Directorate has got the custody of Canadian NRI Sukhraj Singh Kang alias Raja to probe more foreign links into the multi-crore Bhola drug racket.

Raja was earlier absconding when an FIR was lodged against him by the Fatehgarh Sahib police in 2013. A red corner notice had been issued against him, after which he was arrested by the Patiala police on August 26, 2015, from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

The ED had sought his custody from a special court in Patiala about 10 days ago in a bid to get information of nine other NRIs absconding in the case and their nexus in supplying ICE to Canada, Europe, the US and Australia. A native of Billi Chaur village in Shahkot (Jalandhar), he was settled in Surrey. His interrogation would be done and the first statement will be recorded by the ED officials by consfining him in a lock-up in the Jalandhar office. The accused will be produced in the court on March 2.

After the Punjab Police had submitted the names of nine NRIs wanted in the case to the CBI last year, red corner notices had been issued against them.

These notices were reportedly issued against Paramjit Singh Deo, Amarinder Singh Chhina, Harbans Singh Sidhu, Gursewak Singh Dhillon, Ranjit Singh Aujla, Pardeep Singh Dhaliwal, Lehmber Singh Daleh, Sarabjit Singh Sander and Nirankar Singh Dhillon. NRI Amardeep Singh Kooner from Adampur, too, had been arrested by the Interpol in the US last year.

The ED has earlier taken into its custody Sukhjeet Sukha of Sussa village in Hoshiarpur, Varinder Raja of New Delhi and Amritsar-based Akali leader Bittu Aulakh in the case.