MOHALI, July 19 — The Mohali police on Thursday arrested a 72-year-old man, Jarnail Singh alias Jaila, after seizing 1.36 quintal of poppy husk hidden in a fodder room at his residence in Seikhon Majra village. The arrest was made following a tip-off received by the CIA staff, led by Inspector Harminder Singh and supervised by DSP (Investigation) Jatinder Singh Chauhan.
The recovery was made during a raid at the accused’s house, where the narcotics were concealed in a room filled with fodder, allegedly meant for local distribution in the IT City and Banur areas.
“We received credible information that Jarnail Singh, along with his associates Iqbal Singh alias Jaggu and Paramjit Singh alias Pamma, had recently brought a poppy husk consignment from outside Punjab,” said SP Saurav Jindal at a press conference. “The contraband was being stored for further supply in smaller quantities.”
Preliminary interrogation suggests Jarnail Singh has been involved in the illegal drug trade for the past three to four years, SP Jindal said. “He would procure bulk quantities of poppy husk from other states, stash them in a fodder room, and then sell them at high rates locally,” he added.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 15, 29, 61, and 85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the IT City police station. Police have launched a manhunt for the two absconding accomplices.
The accused was produced before a local court, which granted police remand for further interrogation. Authorities said they are expecting further disclosures during the remand period.
