Bhola drug racket: HC seeks probe status against NRIs ‘linked’ to Punjab min

The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the high court-constituted special investigation team (SIT) into the Bhola drug racket scam to submit a report on its investigation so far against two absconding NRIs, Satpreet Singh alias Satta and Parminder Singh Pindi, both allegedly known to Punjab revenue minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia.

The SIT comprises three officers of the inspector general of police (IGP) rank--Ishwar Singh, G Nageshwar Rao and V Neerja. The high court bench, while seeking the report by May 30, wanted to know whether Punjab Police had shown the “same zeal” in the investigation against these two NRIs as was seen in other cases like that of businessman Jagjit Singh Chahal and another accused Sukhjit Sukha. The SIT has been asked to list out the efforts made to nab them and talk about their role in the scam and investigation so far. The detailed order is awaited.

The high court bench, comprising justice Surya Kant and justice AB Chaudhri, was hearing a bunch of matters related to bails of various accused, including Maninder Singh alias Bittu Aulakh. The order came on the perusal of the sealed cover report by the high court bench, produced by the ED on its investigation against Aulakh. The report is learnt to have had statements of Aulakh in the past and details of properties acquired by him. The court had sought the report as it had noticed in February that the ED was opposing bail to Aulakh but it had filed no application for his production warrants in the matter.

As per the statements of various accused, both NRIs are learnt to be in Edmonton, Canada.