Murder probe unearths drug racket

NEW DELHI, JUNE 8: The Delhi Police yesterday stumbled upon an international drug racket while investigating a murder in Nangloi. A woman and four Sri Lankan nationals have been arrested and 14.5 kg heroin, among other drugs, has been seized. Sriram and Shivaraman, employees in an menthol factory, were shot at and the former died. The weapon used for the murder was a sophisticated 7.63 pistol and the assassin was described as dark and curly haired man.

Investigations led the police to the rented farmhouse of Hemlata Mankoo, the factory owner. Hemlata got nervous while replying to police queries and senior officers were called in. In a search, the police found smack in a purse and unusually heavy tables packed in a bedbox. The tables had polythene packets of drugs concealed inside. Carpenter8217;s equipment and other tools were also found. The police arrested Mankoo and a Sri Lankan national, Shivraman. They also recovered 14.5 kg of heroin, 1.1 kg of opium, and 175 gm of poppy granules from the Sukhanda farmhouse. It was found that two Sri Lankans had fled the scene after the shooting and were hiding in Paschim Nagar. A raid there today led to the arrest of three Sri Lankans and recovery of .5 kg of heroin, 400 gm of brown heroin and half kg of hashish.Other instruments recovered were four mobile phones. One of these phones had logged more than 20 international calls from countries like France, Britain, Germany and Sri Lanka. Fourteen Lankans and Indian passports were also found from the house.

A case has also been registered under the Foreigner8217;s and Passport Act was also registered. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Uday Sahay, some of the calls were traced to Yudhistir Kumar who is a known narcotics dealer. He has been also arrested. The police said efforts are on to explore international narco-terrorist links. Mankoo has been sentenced to 14-day judicial custody and Shivraman, an employee, was sentenced to seven day police custody. The three Sri Lankan nationals 8212; Nelson Anthony, Rajendran and Mohd Malih alias Janathan 8212; are to be produced in court tomorrow.