ASI, woman accomplice arrested with heroin, arms

Ludhiana: The special task force (STF), Ludhiana range, has arrested a recently promoted an assistant sub inspector and his accomplice with 5.50kg opium, a .32-bore revolver with 26 cartridges, SLX and 3x3 rifle on Thursday. The arrested ASI works as a driver at the Motor Transport Office at the police lines. According to STF officials, the ASI has confessed that he has been into drug peddling for the past 15 years.
The arrested accused are ASI Major Singh (52) and Harjeet Kaur (53) of Chimney Road, New Shimlapuri. According to officials, the ASI allegedly had illicit relations with Harjeet for the past eight years and since then she had also joined him in drug peddling. The accused were arrested from Chimney Road in the wee hours of Thursday following a tip-off.
The assistant inspector general (AIG), STF, Ludhiana and Ferozepur range, Snehdeep Sharma, said that the accused were going to deliver opium to their customers in a white Swift car. They were stopped at a checkpost and on frisking 5.50kg of opium, a .32-bore revolver with 26 cartridges, SLR and 3x3 rifle were seized from the car. The accused have claimed that the weapons are licensed, however, he failed to produce the documents for the same. An SLR and 3x3 rifles are usually used by the police while being on official duty. Either, he has stolen these from somewhere or has acquired their possession illegally.
AIG Sharma added that, “The accused has confessed that he started consuming opium in 2004 and later started selling it too. Harjeet had illicit relation with Major and joined him in drug peddling eight years ago. The duo would often go together for delivery. Further, it was revealed during questioning that the accused used to procure opium from Hisar, Haryana, and would sell it in Ludhiana and other districts of the state. Major used to driver to Hisar in his private car. However, he never got frisked for the obvious reason of being a cop.”
Further, in-charge, STF, Ludhiana range, inspector Harbans Singh added that, “ASI Major Singh has made a lot of property from the drug money. The police have come to know about three-four properties of him in different localities of Ludhiana. The police are checking bank accounts of both Major and Harjeet in further investigation.”
When asked if Major has used any official vehicle for drug peddling, the inspector said: “He has used his uniform to escape frisking at checkposts but according to him he has never used official vehicles. However, the police will still investigate that too.”