Police probe link of murder accused to drug network

The Ludhiana rural police have initiated a probe into a sequence of events in which two murder accused established a network of drug peddlers and couriers who had been supplying drugs in various parts of the state.

While the kingpin, known as ‘Pankaj Rajput’, is reported to be functioning from United States, his local conduit, Roshan Singh of Wara Bhaie Ka in district Ferozepur was nabbed in police operations supervised by DSP (D) Inderjit Singh Boparai after an encounter on Tuesday.

One revolver, a pistol, nine live cartridges and a BMW motorcycle used in the crime were recovered from Roshan Singh who is facing at least 15 criminal cases.

Though the police is yet to ascertain exact information about the kingpin reportedly living in United States, preliminary investigations revealed that Roshan Singh and ‘Pankaj Rajput’ had conspired to run an illicit trade of drug peddling when they were both confined at Central Jail, Ludhiana.

“I don’t know more about ‘Pankaj Rajput’ except that he is presently living in the United States. He just made a WhatsApp call regarding supplies to be delivered by some unknown couriers that were to be delivered further to the consignees referred by him (Pankaj Rajput),” Roshan told the police led by DSP (D) Inderjit Singh Boparai during preliminary investigations.

While declaring the arrest of Roshan Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Ankur Gupta had asserted that the police expected to break the supply chain of a cross-border drug syndicate.

Roshan, who was identified on the basis of information provided by three peddlers arrested two days ago and had received a bullet injury in leg, is presently convalescing at a hospital in police custody.

The police have arrested three notorious drug peddlers, identified as Amritpal Singh, Sarabjit Singh Sabba and Ravinder Singh of during a hi-tech naka laid on Sunday evening and recovered 301 grams of heroin from their possession.

It was during the interrogation of the three accused that Roshan Singh was named in the case and was arrested on Tuesday after a brief encounter with the police.