Punjab: Drug inspector arrested for colluding with smugglers

Punjab: The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Punjab Police has arrested drug inspector Sheeshan Mittal for his alleged involvement in smuggling of illicit drugs, facilitating drug smuggling operations involving medical stores and funnelling drug money into ‘benami’ accounts in the name of his relatives, said Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Friday. The Punjab Police has also frozen 24 bank accounts linked to the accused drug inspector – the total amount of which has reached Rs 7.09 crore – besides seizing huge amount of cash and foreign currency during a series of coordinated raids carried out at various locations in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Besides, two bank lockers were also seized. The DGP said that after a combination of advanced technical surveillance and human intelligence, police teams of ANTF led by Special DGP Kuldeep Singh arrested drug inspector Sheeshan Mittal from Aerocity, SAS Nagar. He said that preliminary investigations revealed that the accused drug inspector was regularly in touch with drug smugglers lodged inside the jail and facilitated their drug network outside. He informed that the investigation also revealed that the accused drug inspector was frequently travelling abroad without taking permission from the government or leave from India. The DGP said that this successful action taken by the ANTF reflects its strategic approach in dealing with complex criminal networks. He said that further investigation is underway in this case. Special DGP Kuldeep Singh informed that the ANTF has recovered Rs 1.49 crore in cash, 260 grams of gold and 515 dirhams.

Besides, huge assets acquired from illegal activities have been identified, including flats worth Rs 2 crore in Zirakpur, plot worth Rs 40 lakh in Dabwali, etc. A case was registered last month under sections 29 and 59 of the NDPS Act and section 111 of the Indian Penal Code (BNS). Shishan Mittal was transferred from Fazilka to Muktsar after police took action against him on August 8. However, he did not join here. A senior Food and Drugs Administration official told The Tribune that Shishan was on leave till August 31 on medical grounds and wanted to extend it, but his application was rejected. He is currently on unauthorised leave.