Punjab: Army man, sacked cop among 6 held for links to Pak-backed drug cartel

An Indian Army personnel, a dismissed Punjab Police employee and two women were among six people arrested on Sunday after Punjab Police dismantled a well-organised heroin trafficking network operating across districts.

Director-general of police Gaurav Yadav said the accused were linked to multiple drug trafficking cases and described the operation as a “major breakthrough”.

In a post on X, Yadav said Faridkot Police, following a two-month-long jail-based interception, had busted a “well-organised heroin trafficking network” and arrested six accused, including a serving Army man and a dismissed police official. Police recovered 4.8 kg of heroin, one illegal weapon and two vehicles — a Thar and an XUV — allegedly used in the smuggling operation.

An FIR has been registered and further investigation is under way to establish both forward and backward linkages, the DGP said, adding that the operation was meticulously planned and intelligence-driven.

Preliminary findings indicate the accused were in direct contact with Pakistan-based smugglers who used drones to drop heroin consignments into Indian territory, Yadav said.

According to a Punjab Police statement, those arrested have been identified as Jarnail Singh alias Goldy, a Ludhiana resident currently serving in the Army; Amardeep Singh alias Boxer, a former Punjab Armed Police employee dismissed in 2021; Dimple Rani of Ferozepur; and Ramandeep Kaur, Sarabjit Singh alias Sabba and Amritpal Singh alias Abhijot, all from Moga.

Addressing a press conference in Faridkot, senior superintendent of police Pragya Jain said that apart from the contraband, police seized Rs 30,000 in alleged drug proceeds and impounded the Thar and an XUV-500 used by the accused.

The involvement of a serving Army personnel and a former police official suggested a sophisticated network capable of exploiting institutional knowledge, Jain said.

“They misused their official identification cards to secure easy passage through nakas and toll plazas. Taking women accomplices along while transporting consignments also reflects a carefully planned modus operandi,” she said.

The two women — Dimple Rani and Ramandeep Kaur — were actively involved in the network and routinely travelled with the other accused during transportation, she added.

Investigators have traced the backward linkages and identified Boxer, the dismissed policeman, as the alleged mastermind. Jain said he is a habitual offender with nine previous criminal cases against him, while most other members also have substantial criminal records under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Arms Act.

“Boxer faces nine cases — two registered in Sirsa, Haryana, and one by Punjab’s Counter-Intelligence wing,” she said.

Explaining how the probe unfolded, Jain said Faridkot Police had earlier arrested a suspect and recovered weapons from him. Subsequent investigation and human intelligence inputs led to the exposure of the larger network.

In the early hours of 21 February, police intercepted a Thar carrying Army personnel Jarnail Singh along with Sarabjit Singh, Amritpal Singh and Ramandeep Kaur. A search of the vehicle yielded 1.08 kg of heroin and Rs 30,000 in suspected drug money.

During sustained questioning, the four allegedly named Boxer as the kingpin. He was subsequently tracked down and arrested along with Dimple Rani. Police recovered an XUV-500, over 3.7 kg of heroin, an illegal weapon and cartridges from their possession, Jain said.

“We found hooks on the heroin packets, indicating the consignment was drone-dropped,” she said, adding that a jailed individual was also part of the module.

Police plan to bring the incarcerated suspect on a production warrant for further questioning. Jain declined to reveal the person’s identity, citing the ongoing investigation.

“It was found that the module was operating a mobile phone inside the jail, through which instructions were being issued. We have taken up the matter with jail authorities,” she said.

All six accused have been remanded in police custody. Investigators will now focus on identifying cross-border handlers and mapping local distribution channels, Jain added.

With PTI inputs