DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Police on Thursday said it has frozen 24 bank accounts with Rs 6.69 crore in them linked to a drug inspector who allegedly facilitated the network of jailed drug smugglers. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said raids were conducted as part of the ongoing investigations into allegations against drug inspector Shishan Mittal of facilitating drug smuggling operations connected to illegal pharmaceutical and medical stores and laundering the proceeds in several benami accounts in names of his relatives.

The raids were carried out at eight different locations, including Bathinda, Maur Mandi, Giddarbaha, Mohali, Chandigarh, and Fatehabad in Haryana. Yadav said the bank accounts frozen were in Mittal's name, as well as in the name of his relatives, with the total amount in these accounts reaching Rs 6.69 crore.

In addition, police also seized three bank lockers, he said.

Yadav said that during raids, the special task force of the Punjab Police recovered approximately Rs 9.31 lakh in cash, 260 gm of gold, and 515 dirhams.

Assets acquired through the illegal proceeds were also identified. These included flats valued at Rs 2 crore in Zirakpur and a plot in Dabwali worth Rs 40 lakh.

The DGP said preliminary investigation suggested that the Mittal had regularly been in touch with jailed smugglers and facilitated their network outside.

Probe also found that Mittal, a government officer, went abroad frequently without taking permission from the government or availing ex-India leave, he added.

"Further investigations are ongoing and action will be taken as per the outcomes of investigation," said DGP Gaurav Yadav.

An FIR has been registered under section 29 (related to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) and 59 (a public servant supporting drug smugglers) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and section 111 (organised crime) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in this regard.
(editor@dailyworld.in)