Other States - Punjab   

Five cops sacked for role in drug trade

CHANDIGARH: Five policemen, including one sub-inspector and four head constables, have been suspended on charge of taking bribe from an alleged drug-trafficker, Senior Superintendent of Police S.S. Srivastava stated here on Thursday.

“We have suspended the policemen accused by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in their report,” said Mr. Srivastava. Stating that a departmental inquiry would be started soon, he added that “if they [the accused] are found involved in any such criminal act, strict disciplinary action will be taken against them”.

The NCB had submitted the report to the Chandigarh police on the basis of statements made by Harpal Singh alias Raju Smacky, who was arrested last month allegedly with 3.5 kg of heroin and 1 kg of smack, according to a press release here.

The release further stated that Raju, a post-graduate student at Panjab University, used to bribe and give tip-offs about other drug traffickers active in the region to the accused cops. It also quoted an NCB official as stating: “We have traced call details of Raju that show his regular contacts with some more Chandigarh police officers and with some elite personalities in the city. But we will disclose it once we have substantial proof.”

A social activist, Hemant Goswami, had filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 25 stating that the police were not taking any action despite knowing about the nexus between the drug mafia and some Chandigarh police personnel. “Not even a gram of drugs can be sold in Chandigarh without the police knowledge. Everyone knows that the police are involved, but still no steps are taken to check the senior IPS officers,” he said, adding that the matter should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Hearing the petition, the Court had issued notices to the Chandigarh police, the Narcotics Control Bureau, the Chandigarh Administration and the CBI to investigate the matter.

The petition stated that in the past NCB had revealed that many officers of the Chandigarh and Punjab police had had a close association with the drug cartel.

The All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF), which works in close association with the NCB in keeping track of the drug suppliers, also points towards a nexus between the police and drug-traffickers.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Five cops sacked for role in drug trade
New Akal Takht Jathedar installed

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu