SIA busts cross-border narcotic syndicate: Policeman and former sarpanch among latest arrests

In a major breakthrough, the Special Investigation Agency (SIA) has apprehended two additional individuals, including a police officer, suspected to be part of a cross-border narcotic syndicate linked to terror funding. The arrests of Selection grade constable Saif-ud-din from Jammu and former sarpanch Farooq Ahmad Jungal of Uri in Baramulla district raised the total number of accused in the case to 17, according to officials.

The SIA initiated the investigation following a hawala case involving former minister Jatinder Singh, alias “Babu Singh,” who was arrested in April 2022. The arrest came after Mohammad Shareef Shah, a worker associated with Singh, was apprehended with hawala money amounting to Rs 6.90 lakh in Jammu. A charge sheet had already been filed against 12 accused, including the former minister, in this case. While nine of the accused are currently in Central jail, three remain fugitives in Pakistan.

The recent raids conducted by the SIA at the residence of the police constable in Belicharana yielded electronic gadgets, further intensifying the ongoing investigation. Authorities aim to dismantle the entire ecosystem facilitating narcotics supplies to fund anti-national activities.

The arrested policeman had previously faced charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act when he was apprehended with 200 grams of heroin in the Shahpur Kandi area of Pathankot.

The involvement of the policeman and the former sarpanch surfaced during the arrest of key accused Mohd Sharief Chechi in September last year. SIA investigators uncovered the modus operandi adopted by the accused, particularly Chechi, who allegedly collected narcotics from across the Line of Control to generate funds for terror activities.
The case was initially registered at the Police Station Gandhi Nagar in Jammu following the arrest of Shah. Authorities believe that Shah and the former minister were operating under the directives of Pakistan’s ISI and their agents to fund separatist activities in Jammu, leading to subversive actions. The investigation continues to delve deeper into the intricate network of this illicit operation.