In over two years, STF arrests nine Ludhiana cops with drugs

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 8

The anti-drug Special Task Force (STF), Ludhiana, has arrested nine police officers of the Ludhiana Commissionerate involved in drug smuggling in the past over two and a half years. Despite the city police launching campaigns against drugs from time to time, its own house needs to be put in order to identify the black sheep.

As per the details procured from the STF, the nine arrested police personnel include an SHO-rank officer, Amandeep Singh, who was arrested with heroin in 2019 when he was SHO at Police Division 2.

On Friday, the STF had nabbed a serving ASI of the Daba police station, Rajinderpal Singh, along with his sister and one aide, with 350 kg of opium.

Whenever any police personnel is arrested in a drugs case, people troll the department on social media.

When asked about the involvement of local cops in smuggling, Police Commissioner Rakesh Agrawal said such tainted officials in the department were being dealt with strictly. In his term, he has dismissed 35 cops, who were either involved in drug smuggling, departmental negligence or other crimes. “Now, we are setting up an internal monitoring system to keep a tab over such black sheep and any police official can file a complaint in this regard to a designated senior official. After verifying the facts, strict action will be taken. Name of the cop filing the complaint will be kept a secret,” Agrawal added.

More poppy husk, Rs1.60 lakh drug money seized from ASI

STF in-charge Harbans Singh said in further probe, 95-kg poppy husk, three luxury cars and Rs1.60 lakh drug money had also been seized from ASI Rajinderpal Singh. Now, the total recovery from him, his sister Daljit and aide Pawanjit has reached to four cars and 445-kg poppy husk.

Ludhiana cops nabbed with drugs

• January 4, 2018: Head constable Pawan Kumar posted at Police Lines, Ludhiana, held with 65 gm of heroin.
• June 27, 2019: ASI Major Singh, driver at Motor Transport office, Police Lines, Ludhiana, arrested with 5.5-kg opium, 26 cartridges and .32 bore revolver.
• October 18, 2019: Head constables of Ludhiana police, Gurpreet Singh and Dharminder Singh, held with 12-gm heroin and 10-gm charas.
• November 18, 2019: Head constable Amandeep Singh held with 51-gm heroin.
• November 23, 2019: ASI Jagjit Singh, main reader with ADCP Headquarters in Ludhiana, held with 500-gm opium.
• February 16, 2020: HC Balbir of Ludhiana police held with 21-gm heroin.
• February 18, 2020: Amandeep Singh Gill, SHO of Police Station 2, held with 10-gm heroin, 50-gm opium.
• August 6, 2021: ASI Rajinderpal Singh posted at Daba held with 350-kg poppy husk.

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