Indians For Guns

Former Punjab director general of police (DGP, prisons) Shashi Kant revealed before the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday that as per his study, there was daily consumption of at least 10 kg of heroin and smack, estimated at Rs. 50 crore in the international market, in various jails of Punjab as a result of "political interference" and connivance of jail officials.

He also said that in many cases, narcotics cases were planted to "fix" some political opponent or to ensure that the "big fish" went scot-free and only small drug peddlers were arrested by the police. The retired officer stated that prisons were "no less than dens of drug addicts, besides the ticking time bomb of AIDS on account of rampant pervert sexual practices therein."

Arguing himself before the court headed by chief justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Kant submitted that as an officer of the intelligence wing, he had given a report setting out the reasons for the spread of the drug menace. On this, the court directed the state government to produce the report in a sealed cover on the next date of hearing, September 10. The court also directed all parties concerned to submit their replies to the submissions and suggestions made by Kant for curbing the drug menace.

Kant, who retired from service in June 2012, submitted that when he took over as DGP (prisons) in September 2011, 50-55% inmates were estimated to be taking drugs in jails. The court was informed, "not only drugs are smuggled in the jails with impunity but latest smart phones are available on which some of the prisoners keep on updating their status."

He also told the court about the ways through which drugs were smuggled into jails and the steps to curb such a menace. Kant added, "Accountability (of jail officials) is the most effective deterrence" to check the drug menace in jails. There is hardly any de-addiction facility worth its name in any of Punjab's jails and out of at least 13 de-addiction centres being operated by the Punjab AIDS Control Society in the state, not even one is being run properly, he said.

Shashi Kant's suggestions

Case hearing through video-conferencing from jails
Upgradation of jail security on Tihar jail model
No outside stuff should be permitted in jails
All jails should have X-ray machines and trained dogs
Jail staff needs to be rotated often as a rule
Prisons should have frequency-jamming devices
De-addiction centres need to be opened in jails
Practice to post "unwanted doctors" in jails should be stopped

Indian Democracy at its best

Kant also said that he has prepared a list with the names 185 jail officials involved in the narcotics trade. "I had sent a detailed report, on the basis of inputs from the intelligence agencies in the state and at the Centre, to the Punjab DGP a year ago before my retirement but till now, no action has been taken on the report which would have put many top political leaders and businessmen in the dock," the DGP said. He alleged that at least ten top politicians and social activists are involved in the drug racket but refused to name anyone.

Candidates holding feasts, besides offering money to voters, in villages where the fight is tough
In Buttar village of Faridkot, up to Rs 13 lakh reportedly offered for 15 votes of a politically non-aligned community
In Wandar Doad village, the prevailing vote rate is Rs 18,000 while it is an average Rs 5,000 in many other villages
Contesting sarpanch election means an expenditure of Rs 10 lakh to 50 lakh

now i know why criminals are allowed to be MPs

Drug mafia funding elections, former DGP tells HC

Chandigarh, September 10
Punjab’s former Director-General of Police (Prisons) Shashi Kant today claimed that drug smuggling worth over Rs 60,000 crore took place annually in the state and the money went into funding the elections. He also filed a petition today alleging that drugs were not just being smuggled from Pakistan but also manufactured in the state itself. As the matter came up for resumed hearing this morning, the state claimed before a Division bench that Kant had never submitted the report to the state authorities.

Refuting the contention, Kant said he had discussed his report with the CM. Reacting to this, Punjab Advocate-General Ashok Aggarwal said he did not wish to comment as to how Kant's report was "doctored". Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said narco-terrorism was a major issue and impleaded the Ministry of Home Affairs as a party in the case. The High Court, on the previous date of hearing, had directed the state to make available the report submitted by Kant, when he was Additional DGP (Intelligence). Kant has all along been asserting that prison bars are not strong enough to keep the drug mafia away. Kant was at loggerheads with the government on the issue of drug peddling in jails.

Kant had, rather, created a flutter by announcing that drug mafia was operating inside the Punjab jails and that it had the backing of a strong lobby. But, the former DGP was criticised by the state government for airing his views openly. A petition on the issue was filed by Tarlochan Singh through counsel Navkiran Singh. A Mohali resident, he was lodged at Ropar district jail at the time of filing the petition. The inmate is seeking an inquiry not only into the sale of intoxicants in the Ropar Jail “in connivance with the jail officials” but also their highhandedness towards prisoners reporting against illegal activities.— TNS

Chemicals worth Rs 600 cr seized from Baddi unit

The Patiala police today claimed to have seized chemicals worth Rs 600 crore allegedly used in preparing synthetic drug “ice” from a pharmaceutical unit in Baddi.

Montek Bio-Pharma Limited belongs to Amritsar industrialist Jagjit Singh Chahal, who along with former Youth Akali Dal general secretary Maninder Singh, alias Bittu Aulakh, was arrested late on Wednesday in the multi-crore drug smuggling racket involving former Punjab Police officer Jagdish Singh Bhola.

Chahal’s factories, including Montek Bio-Pharma Limited and MBP Pharmaceuticals Limited in Baddi, and Tulip Formulations at Damtal, near Pathankot, have been sealed and search is on.

The chemicals seized were enough to manufacture “ice” or crystal methamphetamine worth Rs 2,000 crore in the international market. The police is now looking into financial dealings and money invested by the alleged drug smugglers through politicians both in India and abroad. Investigating officer Bikramjit Singh Brar told the TNS over the phone that their teams had barely completed 50 per cent of the search in one of the Baddi units and the recoveries could be worth over Rs 1,000 crore.

“The recoveries may go up manifold but nothing can be said till the search of the two units is complete,” he said.

Investigations suggest Chahal was supplying chemicals to Bhola, while Bittu Aulakh, who allegedly had close links with an MLA, facilitated safe passage of the contraband. Aulakh is allegedly linked to senior police officers and top politicians of the area.

The role of two senior police officers is under the scanner for their alleged proximity to Chahal and Aulakh.

“We are investigating if the political leaders whose rallies and functions these two accused sponsored or the police officers to whom they talked regularly knew about their operations,” a police officer said.

The names of two alleged middlemen - Raja Rudrapur and Laddi - from Amritsar have also surfaced during Chahal and Aulakh’s interrogation. Both are in police remand till November 22.

“The two suspects acted as middlemen and even helped transport the drug. Police teams are trying to arrest them. Both had humble beginnings but made crores of rupees within a few years of allegedly coming in touch with Bhola and others,” claimed a policeman.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police HS Mann said the recovered drugs worth Rs 600 crore were just a tip of the iceberg.

“We have searched just one part of the factory,” he said, adding that the factory staff was questioned to ascertain the role of chemical analysts who helped prepare the drug.

High profit margins

1 kg of chemicals yielded 600 gram of synthetic drug ‘ice’ through illegal manufacturing process
The manufacturer could make Rs 3 crore after investing Rs 1 crore in the illegal drug trade
Such high profit margins were driving traditional drug smugglers to manufacture and distribute synthetic drugs

Gunmen’s role under scanner

The police will summon six security guards, including two of the Punjab Police, attached with Youth SAD leader Maninder Singh Aulakh to ascertain their role in facilitating safe passage of drugs
The gunmen used to travel with Aulakh and his touts who acted as couriers in the racket, a police officer claimed
Aulakh got the two official gunmen through court after claiming threat to his life. The four others were private bouncers who often dressed up as policemen

VIP links

Arrested middleman Bittu Aulakh used to attend SAD rallies regularly. A senior police officer claimed the name of a senior politician from Amritsar had cropped up during his interrogation. “Aulakh claimed he was in constant touch with senior politicians,” the officer said.