High Court junks anticipatory bail of Amritsar absconding drug smuggler

Drug smuggler Harmanjit Singh has failed to secure anticipatory bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which dismissed his plea on July 27, tightening the legal noose around the absconding accused, who is wanted in a major narcotics smuggling case.

Harmanjit, a resident of Naushra Dhalla village in Tarn Taran district, has been on the run since February after the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Amritsar zone unit, busted a cross-border smuggling network and seized 18 kg of contraband, including about 9 kg of heroin, 6 kg of ICE and 3 kg of opium.

The NCB had launched a manhunt to arrest him and even announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest. The agency has appealed to the public to share any information regarding his location, movement or shelter, assuring that the identity of informers will be kept confidential.

The case dates back to February 15 when the NCB arrested three alleged drug couriers — Jodhbir Singh, Harpal Singh and Jasbir Singh — soon after they allegedly collected a narcotics consignment from the Indo-Pak border area in Tarn Taran district. During interrogation, the trio allegedly disclosed that they had been collecting consignments for Harmanjit for several months.

Investigators said Harmanjit switched off his mobile phone immediately after their arrests and had been on the run ever since.

The investigation later led to the arrest of Paramjit Singh, sarpanch of Kalsian village in Tarn Taran district, in March. The NCB alleged that Pamma had provided shelter to the absconding accused and that Harmanjit’s SUV was found at his residence.

Pamma was reportedly associated with the village defence committee constituted under the Punjab Government’s war against drugs campaign. He is also considered close to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, though the party has denied any association with him.

With the High Court declining the anticipatory bail, the NCB is expected to intensify efforts to apprehend Harmanjit, who remains one of the prime accused in the high-profile cross-border drug smuggling case, an NCB official privy to the investigations said.