Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 12

The Additional Sessions Judge, Pushpinder Singh, rejected the interim bail of former SAD leader and ex-SSB member Anwar Masih on Monday. He was arrested by the Special Task Force in February 2020 in connection with seizure of 197-kg heroin from a residential building in Sultanwind.

The building belonged to Anwar Masih, who was booked by the STF under Section 25 of the NDPS Act (owner of the place where drug trade is being carried out is responsible for the premises). The STF had seized 197-kg heroin and narcotic material and arrested around 20 persons, including an Afghan national in the case.

He managed to get interim bail around eight months ago on the basis of health grounds.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Vavinder Mahajan said the police have opposed the interim bail on the ground that he was trying to influence the court and cops by provoking and holding press conferences even as the court had granted him interim bail on health grounds.

While cancelling the interim bail, the court asked Masih to report at Amritsar Central Jail within a week.

Interestingly, on June 22, Masih’s son Joel Masih along with several Christian organisations had accused the STF of extorting Rs 9 lakhs from him. He had held a press conference in this connection. Nevertheless, the police had denied the allegations while terming the charges baseless.