Rajasthan police to interrogate notorious peddler in drug case

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, June 15

Following the arrest of notorious drug smuggler Varinder Singh Pehalwan from Delhi by the city police, Rajasthan police have arrived to interrogate him in a drug trafficking case.

Barmer district police had confiscated around 5 kg of heroin from the alleged accomplices of Pehalwan in 2021. They had told the police that the contraband was handed over to them by him for delivering to another drug peddler. Since then, he was wanted by the Rajasthan police.

After the reports of his arrest surfaced, the Rajasthan police approached the city police for seeking details.

Three days ago, the CIA staff of city police had nabbed Pehalwan along with his accomplice Narinder Singh alias Sonu from Delhi. They were held in connection with the seizure of 1.75 kg of heroin from two drug peddlers 10 days ago. Police investigations revealed that he had links with cross-border drugs and arms smugglers and that he was hiding in Delhi in a rented accommodation by faking his identity.

The police also arrested his brother Vikramjit Singh from the Goindwal Sahib jail on production warrant besides another accomplice Gurmeet Singh of Ferozepur.

On June 5, the police had arrested Heera Singh of Muradpura and Nishan Singh of Kot Dharam Chand with 1.75 kg heroin.

The police had termed Pehalwan’s arrest as a major success as he was allegedly a ‘big fish’ of illegal drug trade in the border belt. He and his family members were allegedly involved in drug smuggling for years now. His father Raj Singh and Vikramjit Singh besides some other relatives had been booked under the NDPS Act at different police stations in the border state, police said. The police have established their links with the smugglers in Jammu and Kashmir also.