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AAP-backed sarpanch, who heads village defence committee on drugs, held with 18kg of heroin: NCB

This exposes deep nexus between those in power and drug trade, raises serious questions about the credibility of govt’s claims of eliminating drugs: LoP Bajwa

An NCB team raided the house of sarpanch Paramjit Singh, alias Pamma, early Tuesday and seized the heroin from his residence, officials said.An NCB team raided the house of sarpanch Paramjit Singh, alias Pamma, early Tuesday and seized the heroin from his residence, officials said. (Express Photo)

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested the AAP-backed sarpanch of Kalsian Kalan village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district and seized 18 kg of heroin, worth nearly Rs 90 crore, officials said on Wednesday, noting the arrest highlights the ongoing drug smuggling situation near the India-Pakistan border.

An NCB team raided the house of sarpanch Paramjit Singh, alias Pamma, early Tuesday and seized the heroin from his residence, officials said.

Singh, who also heads a village defence committee under Punjab’s anti-drug campaign, was arrested under Case No. 8/2026 by NCB, Amritsar, they said.

The case links to prior seizures, with one suspect Harman Singh from Naushera Dhala still at large, officials said.

The NCB has, meanwhile, registered an FIR and sought the sarpanch’s remand for further investigation into cross-border links, they added

Meanwhile, opposition leaders criticised the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government.

Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said, “This shocking incident exposes the deep nexus between those in power and the drug trade… it raises serious questions about the credibility of the government’s claims of eliminating drugs from Punjab.”

Bajwa demanded a full network investigation regardless of affiliations.

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Congress leader Sukpal Singh Khaira tweeted, “Is this a war against drugs or war against the war on drugs?” “The sarpanch appeared in posters with an AAP MLA and welcomed Mann recently,” he alleged.

Former SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha said, “The sarpanch’s leading the village defence committee has raised a question on the state government’s anti-drug efforts.”

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