SAD ex-sarpanch among 9 held for drug peddling

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, April 27

The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) of the Sangrur police arrested nine persons on the charge of drug peddling from Sunam last night. They were arrested during a raid on a palatial house, from where addicts procured drugs.

The police seized 710-gm smack from the accused and confiscated three vehicles — two Boleros and a Swift Dzire — with stickers of “Proud to be Akali”. One of the accused, Mithu Singh, has affiliation with the SAD. He is a former sarpanch of the district’s Dhanidal village.

“They were supplying smack to addicts from the palatial house for the past one-and-a-half years. But police officers failed to notice it. We have started investigation into reasons behind the failure of the police in arresting the smugglers earlier,” SSP Mandeep Sidhu said.

Of the nine accused, three are main smugglers — Gurmail Singh alias Mela, who is the owner of the house, his son Mani Singh and relative Kuldeep Singh from Dhuri.

The other six were addicts and later became peddlers. They are Gurpal Singh, Bakar Singh, Kulvir Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Mithu Singh and Bhagwant Singh.

“They brought smack for Rs 250 per gm and sold for Rs 700. Their daily sale was between Rs 30,000 and 40,000. The house was constructed with money earned through smuggling. Gurmail and Kuldeep are already facing charges under the NDPS Act in Haryana,” the SSP said.

He further said Gurmail’s brothers-in-law — Budhu Singh and Ram Singh — were behind bars in connection with drug peddling cases. “The police will write to the authorities, seeking permission to attach the house,” Sidhu added.