Promod Ban, IG, STF, Punjab, confirmed that two persons have been arrested. (Representational)
In a major drug haul by a joint team of the Special Task Forces (STFs) of Ludhiana and Jalandhar police, 28.88 lakh pieces of psychotropic drugs, including tablets, injections, capsules and bottles of cough syrups, worth Rs 2.13 crore have been recovered here. Also, Rs 6 lakh cash and a Toyota Innova SUV were recovered from two accused who were arretsed on Wednesday. Some of these drugs are banned, while some others cannot be sold without doctor’s prescription.
Promod Ban, IG, STF, Punjab, confirmed that two persons have been arrested.
He said that during checking on Chuharpur Road in Ludhiana, the STF stopped the Toyota Innova. Accused Manindervir Singh, alias Raja, (37), a resident of Haibowal Kalan in Ludhiana was driving it.
During checking, 4.8 lakh banned tablets and Rs 6 lakh cash were recovered from his possession. An FIR under the sections 21, 61 and 85 of NDPS Act was registered against him at Haibowal police station on Wednesday.
After his interrogation, 13 types of banned tablets, capsules, injections and cough syrups were recovered from a store near his home.
During the course of investigation, the second accused, Surinder Kumar (32), a resident of Muradpur Jattan village of Hoshiarpur, was arrested by the STF. He works as a manager in JSK Transport Company in Ludhiana. During a search at the company’s godown, 2.50 lakh banned tablets were recovered.
IG Ban said Manindervir confessed that he owned a shop named Sehgal Medicine on Chuharpur Road in Ludhiana. Due to financial losses, he came in contact with Naval Kishore of Agra and started the business of buying and selling banned tablets, capsules, injections and cough syrups two years ago.
“Manindervir used to transport these drugs through Jodhpur Golden Transport Company, Agra, to Ludhiana. Manindervir then used to supply it in Punjab and other states,” the IG added.