An STF personnel with the recovered heroin. Express Photo by Rana Simranjit Singh

A day after Punjab Police seized nearly 200 kg heroin in Amritsar district and arrested seven people, including a member of the Subordinate Services Board (SSB) appointed by the previous SAD-BJP government, the son of a Congress councillor has come under the scanner.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), STF-border range, Kaustubh Sharma, said the role of Sahil Sharma, son of Congress municipal councillor from ward no. 51 Pardeep Sharma, is being probed.

Sources said Sharma had been nominated in the case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at SAS Nagar STF police station on Thursday.

“We have been probing Sahil Sharma’s role. I can’t say more than this,” said the IGP.

Pardeep Sharma, “My son has nothing to do with this case. All this is to spoil my political career. My son is innocent.”

The father and son run a hotel in the city and STF suspect that the hotel was used for drug smuggling and knowingly accommodating the accused, said sources.

On Friday, ADGP Harpreet Singh Sidhu had said that an STF team (led by him) had recovered 194 kg heroin, which was under processing at an illegal lab set up at a house in Sultanwind village of Amritsar district. An Afghan national and a 24-year-old woman was also arrested as part of the raid.

Later in the day, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had at a press conference announced “Akali leader” Masih’s arrest, adding that the house from which police seized the contraband belonged to Masih. The STF hasn’t said a word on the same yet.

Masih had told media that he had already signed a deal to sell the house. He had claimed that house was still in his possession and vacant.
An STF team had raided Masih’s house in Mohali on Saturday and also searched one of his cars.

An Amritsar court sent all accused to 10 days’ police remand Saturday.

Unlike the natural route from Pakistan into Punjab via border, this consignment is suspected to have been transported to Amritsar after it landed in Gujarat around a year ago, sources said.

This is not first case of heroin being pushed into Punjab another state. However, it is the first time that such a huge quantity has not come through the border but via Gujarat.

The recovery has also put the role of local police, security and intelligence agencies under scanner.

Sources said the heroin may have been brought into Amritsar in trucks. Masih is said to have claimed that he signed a sale deed to sell the house, but there was still time for the final payment and hence rented it out in the mean time. The consignment may have been moving from one place to another.