Struck a deal with drug smuggler after recovering 5 bags of poppy husk

Two officers of the Moga police were arrested for striking a deal with a drug smuggler in a case involving recovery of five bags of poppy husk.

Head Constable Jaswinder Singh and Home Guard Swaran Singh had recently recovered the drugs during a raid. They, however, did not report it to the police and instead struck a deal of Rs 2 lakh with smuggler Ikkatar Singh of Rajeana village, said Moga SSP Ashok Baath. “The accused made a false claim that Baghapurana SHO wanted to hush up the case for Rs 2 lakh,” the SSP said, adding that Rs 1 lakh was also recovered from the accused.

A police informer, however, was keeping track of the incident and he called up senior police officials. “I asked Baghapurana DSP and SHO to conduct raids. We recoverd five bags of poppy husk but Ikkatar Singh managed to escape,” Baath said. The accused have been booked under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had recently asked the police to tighten the noose around those associated with the drug trade.

The Punjab government has also envisaged a pilot project for Bathinda that it plans to replicate in other districts to curb the menace of drugs. The project focuses on breaking the demand supply chain by spreading awareness about the ill-effects of drugs in society.