Cop dismissed for supplying heroin to undertrial in Tarn Taran

A racket of smuggling heroin inside Amritsar central jail was busted on Thursday with the arrest of four people, including a Punjab Police head constable who was dismissed from service. Three inmates lodged in Amritsar jail have also been booked.

Those arrested have been identified as head constable Jasbir Singh, posted with the ‘peshi’ cell, an undertrial Vishal Kumar, besides Varinder Singh and Amarjit Singh of Amritsar. All four have been booked under the NDPS Act at Tarn Taran Sadar police station.

Police have also booked three Amritsar jail inmates, identified as Shera of Bhaini Rajpootan village in Taran Taran, who is behind bars for possessing 7.5kg heroin; and his two accomplices Kapil and Morindi of Amritsar (both also in jail).

Police said some inmates of Amritsar central jail were receiving heroin through those who came for hearings to the court. The accused head constable used to handover drugs to the undertrials on court premises and they would take it along to the jail.

Tarn Taran senior suprintendent of police Dhruv Dahiya said they had a secret tip-off about the head constable. “A trap was laid on Thursday and he was caught red-handed while handing over heroin to undertrial Vishal at a local court where he was to appear in an NDPS case,” he said.

A senior police official privy to the investigations said Varinder and Amarjit of Amritsar had handed over 100gm heroin to the accused cop. The drug was meant for Morindi, Shera and Kapil, all lodged in Amritsar jail, and undertrial Vishal was supposed to carry it along, he said. He said the accused head constable had cleared three to four such consignments using similar modus operandi.

SSP Dahiya said the three accused who are in Amritsar jail will be brought on production warrant.

Suprintendent of police (investigation) Jagjit Singh Walia said investigation to ascertain the links of all the accused was on. He said they have adopted zero tolerance against drugs in the district.

Earlier, two cops, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), were dismissed for taking drugs. He said 12 more cops who were found positive for drugs have also been transferred, besides initiating departmental proceedings against them.

In October, a woman ASI and her male friend were arrested in Patti for peddling drugs.