Solan police freeze family assets worth Rs 47.76 lakh in drug trafficking probe

In a significant action against drug trafficking, the Solan police have frozen assets worth Rs 47.76 lakh following a comprehensive financial investigation into a drug trafficking network involving the family members of suspected drug traffickers.

During the investigation, the police identified bank deposits, land and other assets valued at more than Rs 47.76 lakh. “Invoking provisions of Chapter V-A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, aimed at dismantling the financial networks of drug traffickers and ensuring effective action against illegally acquired assets, the police froze these assets,” said Sai Dattatreya Varma, SP, Solan.

The case dates back to March 10, when the Solan police’s Special Investigation Unit recovered 1.980 kg of cannabis and 935 grams of opium from a truck being escorted by an Alto car near Kararaghat in the Darlaghat area. Truck driver Kamlesh Kumar was arrested on the spot, while the Alto driver, Manoj Kumar, fled the scene. An FIR was registered at the Darlaghat police station on March 13 under Sections 18, 20 and 29 of the NDPS Act.

During interrogation, Kamlesh revealed that Manoj Kumar was actively involved in drug trafficking. The police subsequently analysed technical evidence, mobile phone locations, call detail records and other digital data, which provided crucial leads about the activities of the two accused.

Continuous raids and technical surveillance eventually helped the police apprehend Manoj Kumar from Solan on March 23.As part of the financial investigation, the police examined assets acquired, banking transactions and financial investments made by Manoj Kumar and his family members.

The investigation revealed transactions amounting to Rs 2.05 crore in Manoj’s bank account between January 1, 2023, and March 10, 2026. The transactions were found to be inconsistent with his known legitimate sources of income. Similarly, transactions worth Rs 58 lakh, along with several fixed deposits and other financial investments, were identified in his wife’s bank account. The investigation also found that some fixed deposits had been prematurely encashed after the accused absconded.

The financial probe also detected significant suspicious transactions in the bank account of Manoj’s sister during the same period. It further revealed the purchase of five biswas of land in Bhadog village in the Ghumarwin area on March 26, 2025, for Rs 28 lakh.

The police also examined recurring deposits, Postal Life Insurance policies, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts, India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) accounts and other financial investments linked to the accused and his family members.

A comprehensive examination of banking, revenue and other records revealed assets and financial investments worth more than Rs 45.32 lakh linked to Manoj Kumar and his family, which the investigation indicated were derived from the proceeds of illicit narcotics trafficking.

The police also identified the alleged main supplier, Datta Ram, a resident of Machhyar village in Kullu, who had absconded before being arrested. A subsequent investigation revealed financial transactions worth Rs 2.44 lakh between the two families, establishing links to the drug trade and leading to the freezing of assets.

With this action, the Solan police have so far frozen assets worth Rs 3.59 crore belonging to 17 accused persons in three drug-related cases this year.