Wrestler-cop first booked for drugs in 2001

The busting of this racket hit national headlines not because of the quantum of the money involved,but because of the alleged involvement of boxer Vijender Singh and his sparring partner. While Vijender was let off by the Punjab Police on grounds that he was a mere consumer,Ram Singh was arrested for his alleged involvement in peddling. Ram Singh had known Kahlon for several years and was the common link between Vijender and Kahlon.

Bhola joined the Punjab Police in 1993 in Bathinda and rose through the ranks. He became an inspector for his achievements in wrestling. He came into limelight when he received the Arjuna Award and also won the title of Rustum-e-Hind.

He was first booked for smuggling of contraband in 2001 when still in the police. His life of crime had begun and he went underground. In January 2002,Bathinda police registered another case under NDPS Act against Bhola and he was declared a proclaimed offender.

After disclosure of his involvement in the drug trade,Bhola was dismissed by the Punjab Police. Subsequently,he was stripped off his titles. He was based for years in Mumbai where he was arrested by the Maharashtra Police once but was let off for lack of evidence.

Wanted by Punjab Police in eight drug smuggling cases,Bholas residence in Mohali was raided in March following Kah-lons revelations. He had been on the run since. While the police managed to arrest key links in the network,Bhola evaded the police for seven months.

With the arrest of former Bhindranwale Tiger Force (BTF) member,Kulbir Singh Assandh,on March 23,the police were able to establish a vital link between the international drug supply chain being run by Bhola and the one being run by drug kingpin Ranjit Kandola. Assandh and his associate Raj Dirba were arrested while they were transporting at least 10 kg of a chemical used to manufacture rave party drugs.

Assandh was a key player in two main international drug networks routed through Punjab,which supply rave party drugs to Europe,Canada,New Zealand and Australia. The role of Chinese and Vietnames nationals also surfaced during investigations.

Both Kandola arrested by the Delhi Police in August last year in a Rs 278-crore drug haul case and Bhola got their supply of drugs from Assandh,said police.

Punjab cops to contact foreign counterparts

Patiala: THE Punjab Police is set to contact its counterparts in European countries,Canada and Australia to share information gathered during the questioning of international drug kingpin Jagdish Bhola.

Patiala SSP Hardayal Singh Mann said that preliminary questioning of Bhola has unveiled an intricate and sophisticated network of supply of synthetic drugs to markets in Holland,Canada and UK.

The drugs were transported from India to these countries by air through human couriers. The cargo was smuggled by hiding the contraband in the heels of footwear,books,false cavities in containers,suits for women,condiments and food product boxes and even photo frames of religious personalities.

Over 300 kg of synthetic drugs like ice (M-amphetamine) and other high-quality drugs like heroin were smuggled out of India. The network used cut-outs and different persons for packing and packaging,transportation,receiving and distribution of the consignment. Sports clubs based in Canada and Europe were also used for distribution, Mann said.

Besides,disclosures about the involvement of Chinese,Vietnamese and other foreign nationals in the drug racket has also been made,he added. They were involved in the preparation of synthetic drugs from precursor chemicals and especially sent to India by foreign recipients to ensure quality control of the drugs.

We have got important clues about these foreign nationals. The information is being shared with appropriate agencies, the SSP said.

Meanwhile,a Mohali court on Tuesday remanded Bhola and his accomplice Sarabjeet Singh alias Saba to seven days of police

custody. ENS