Contraband, cash recovered from former Arjuna awardee`s house

Mohali: In another major seizure of drugs, Punjab police have recovered 10 kg narcotics substance, used mainly in rave parties, from a house in Mohali district, police said Saturday.

This comes just a day after Olympic medal winning boxer Vijender Singh`s name appeared during police investigation of a drug racket in Haryana. The contraband seized is worth over Rs.1 crore in the international market. Police said that the accused used to supply it in rave parties in Mumbai and in some parts of Himachal Pradesh. Besides drugs, police have also recovered Rs.8.70 in cash from the house. The house from which the seizure was made belongs to Arjuna awardee sportsperson Jagdish Singh alias Bhola, who is now absconding. Bhola was earlier deputed as deputy superintendent of police in Punjab, but suspended in 2002 after his name figured in a drugs smuggling racket. He was also stripped of his Arjuna award after the arrest. "We got a tip off that drugs have been kept at Jagdish`s house during the interrogation of an international drug smuggler. We conducted raids, but Jagdish managed to flee. He is wanted in many other cases related to drug smuggling," senior superintendent of Fatehgarh Sahib police, who headed the raiding party, said. Police said that Jagdish is the kingpin of this drug racket. He first came into contact with the drug dealers when he toured the world to participate in tournaments. However, police have managed to arrest two accomplices of Jagdish and recovered Rs.1 crore cash, 20 kg narcotic chemicals and two kg of heroin from their possession. The two accomplices were identified as Manpreet Singh and Gabbar Singh. This is the second-biggest seizure in a span of only three days in the state. An NRI was arrested from Mohali district on Thursday late evening with 26 kg heroin worth Rs.130 crore in the international market. Bhola was an international-level wrestler and he had represented India in various prestigious sports tournaments including Asian Games. Most of the drugs were smuggled into Punjab from the Pakistan border, to be supplied in different parts of the country and also smuggled abroad. Mohali and Fatehgarh Sahib towns are around 10 and 30 km respectively from state capital Chandigarh. IANS