Another BSF constable among 3 arrested as Punjab police bust one more cross-border racket

Chandigarh: As part of its crackdown against drugs, the Punjab Police has busted another Pak-backed cross border drugs and weapons smuggling racket, with the arrest of two smugglers and yet another BSF constable, posted along the Pakistan border in Tarn Taran district.

The Police is working to get the kingpin, Satnam Singh @ Satta, extradited from Muscat, Oman, where he had fled after he was declared Proclaimed Offender in two smuggling cases. He used a fake Passport and Aadhar card issued in the name of Gurmeet Singh to escape, said DGP Dinkar Gupta, adding that the accused had five cases of smuggling registered against him earlier. Satta’s ill-gotten property, which he had purchased using drug money in the name of his family relative Maninder Kaur, at Sandhu Colony Amritsar, has been frozen, he added.

Jalandhar Rural Police, which unearthed the racket, had recovered a .30 Bore Pistol (Made in China), alongwith 5 live rounds and Rs 24.50 lakhs as drug money, from the three arrested accused – identified as Surmail Singh, Gurjant Singh and BSF constable Rajendra Prashad, r/o Rawala Mandi in Ganga Nagar district of Rajasthan, said the DGP.

Giving details of the operation, Gupta said that acting on a tip-off, Jalandhar Rural Police, on July 26, apprehended two smugglers, who were coming in a Verna Car from Delhi. The cops recovered 25 gm from their car during search. On questioning, the duo identified themselves as Surmail Singh and Gurjant Singh. Surmail’s further questioning led to the recovery of the .30 Bore Pistol along with 5 live rounds and 35 gm of heroin.

During further investigations, both the accused also revealed that they were working with a cross-border smuggler Satnam Singh @ Satta, r/o Village Naarli in Taran Tarn district, who was closely linked with Pak-based smugglers for smuggling of heroin and weapons from Pakistan. They also disclosed that BSF constable Rajendra Prashad was also part of the smuggling racket. The BSF constable was posted at a Border Outpost at Village Chhina in Taran Tarn district.

The DGP said that he contacted his counterparts in the BSF and Rajasthan, DGP BSF and DGP Rajasthan, and took the support of the central agencies as well, for ensuring the arrest of the said BSF constable, who was apprehended by the Punjab Police on July 28 from his residence in Rawala Mandi, where he was availing his leave.

During further questioning, Rajendra revealed that he was recruited into the drug smuggling racket by Satnam Singh @ Satta, who promised him money in lieu of his complacency in smuggling of arms and narcotics consignment through his Border Post. He then helped the gang in getting 17 kgs of heroin and 2 foreign made Pistols in May.

This time again, Satnam Singh, in connivance with the Rajendra Prashad, Surmail Singh and Gurjant Singh, was to bring in another consignment of heroin and arms from his Pak based handlers. Satnam Singh @ Satta had given Rajendra Prashad Rs 5 lakh and a mobile phone in advance for the receipt and handling of this composite consignment.

The DGP said that out of the Rs 24.5 lakh, Rs 15 lakh was recovered from the residence of Satnam Singh, Rs 5 lakh from the BSF constable and Rs 4.5 lakh from Gurjant Singh.