Chandigarh, April 10: A high-level investigation has led to an FIR against five Punjab Police officers accused of assisting a high-profile drug lord in recovering his travel papers. The personnel, ranging from the rank of constable to inspector, allegedly circumvented legal restrictions to help Shehnaz Singh Bhinder obtain his impounded passport, despite his status as a key target of an international drug investigation.
SSP Surendra Lamba affirmed that the accused officers provided a favorable report that allowed the Regional Passport Office to return the documents to Bhinder. The suspect had been granted bail by the High Court in October 2025, and officials declared that he likely used the illegally obtained passport to exit the country shortly thereafter. Bhinder had originally fled to India to avoid capture by the FBI following one of the largest drug busts in American history.
The Five officers, who are now reported to be missing, face charges for their role in the administrative lapse. Lamba maintained that the department is determined to root out any internal support for narcotics syndicates. He asserted that the investigation will be expanded to determine if other members of the force were involved in the conspiracy. The SSP also declared that the state police remain committed to the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign and will not tolerate any compromise in security protocols.
Bhinder’s criminal network was described by investigators as a sophisticated operation spanning multiple continents. State police stated that he utilized a legitimate business in Canada to facilitate the transport of drugs from Colombia through Mexico. Following his arrest in Ludhiana last year, authorities had classified him as a top-tier operative in the international drug trade.
Administrative officials stated that the case represents a significant breach of protocol. They affirmed that the ongoing probe will focus on how the no-objection certificate was processed and why the standard verification procedures were ignored. Police maintained that efforts are currently underway to locate and arrest the five absconding personnel.
