13 years on, Tarn Taran man held in drug case

A Tarn Taran resident has been arrested in connection with smuggling of heroin from Pakistan into Hindumalkot, Sriganganagar, 13 years ago.Deputy Superintendent of Police (Rural) Rahul Yadav said he had tried to stop two bikers near the Hindumalkot police station in February 2012. He was incharge of the police station. The two bikers tried to flee but as cops opened fire at them, they left the motorcycle and ran away. The police recovered 6 kg of heroin from near the spot. The international market value of the seized heroin was around Rs 30 crore.

The police had registered a case and later arrested Punjab-based smugglers Kuldeep Singh, alias Keepa, and Balwinder Singh, alias Binda. The owner of the motorcycle was also named as accused in the case.

Now, Manvir Singh of Thatha village in Tarn Taran, who was the owner of the motorcycle and gave the same to the suspects to carry the consignment of heroin from near the Indo-Pak border, has been arrested.

The DSP said Manvir was reportedly absconding for the past 13 years. Recently, it was learnt from the Punjab Police that he had been lodged in Amritsar Jail in a drug case. The Sriganganagar police got a production warrant issued against Manvir and brought him for questioning.

He was produced in a court, which sent him to three-day remand.

Kuldeep Singh, alias Keepa, was convicted in the case and was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment in 2017.