Punjab Inspector held for drug trafficking

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh/Jalandhar, June 12

The Special Task Force of Punjab Police today arrested Inspector Inderjit Singh on  charges of drug trafficking and seized drugs, arms and ammunition from his official quarters.

Raids were carried out this morning on Inspector Inderjit Singh’s Jalandhar Police Lines residence and his Phagwara quarters. While drugs were seized from the Phagwara house, weapons were found from the Jalandhar residence, the STF chief, Additional Director General of Police HS Sidhu, said.

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The police seized 7 kg of narcotics, including 4 kg of heroin, an Italy-made .9 mm, live cartridges of various calibers and Rs 16.50 lakh in cash during the raids.

The Inspector’s involvement in drug trafficking came to light when the STF was studying cases pertaining to large recoveries of narcotics in the past five years. It was found that Inderjit, as Inspector, had seized large consignments of drugs in 2013-14 but there was a pattern — most of the accused were acquitted in cases where he was the investigating officer (IO).

“The accused were acquitted on the grounds that the Inspector was not competent enough to investigate the case as he held the rank of Head Constable. Under the NDPS Act, the minimum rank to investigate such cases is Assistant Sub-Inspector,” Sidhu said. Holding the rank of Head Constable, Inderjit was given charge as Inspector under the “own rank pay (ORP)” system. 

The modus operandi that he adopted was simple — he would nab smugglers along with drug consignments and in return of “favours” pave the way for their acquittal.

Sources claimed Inderjit ran a drug trade under the garb of “recoveries”. Interestingly, Inderjit was the Investigating Officer in 10 drug cases registered in Tarn Taran between June 2013 and August 2014 when he was in charge of the district’s CIA wing. Sidhu said they had definite information that Inderjit had links with smugglers. During 2013-2014, he not only provided protection to smugglers operating in Tarn Taran, but also ran a drug cartel through various associates, he said.

Gangster Prince, arrested by the STF two months ago, is said to have given information against the Inspector. Already, a case filed by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau under Sections 7, 8 and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is pending against the accused cop.