Case against Saji Mohan in Chandigarh

While Saji Mohans police custody was extended by another week by a Mumbai court following an application by the Maharashtra ATS,the Chandigarh Police slapped a criminal case against Saji Mohan on charges of embezzlement and criminal conspiracy. The case by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) was registered on a complaint lodged by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB),which alleged that it found Rs 13.81 lakh missing from the seizures made during Saji Mohans tenure as Zonal Director,NCB,Chandigarh.

According to the complaint,on verification of seized contraband goods lying in the Malkhana (seizure room),it was observed that in NCB Crime No. 12/04 dated 30.12.2004,an amount of Rs 13,81,250 was seized. It was found that the container was unlocked and only an amount of Rs 49,980 was left. On perusal of the case file,it was observed that the above property of Rs 13,81,250 was handed over by the Malkhana in-charge Balwinder Kumar,Superintendent of CZU,on December 22,2008,to the then Zonal Director Saji Mohan for depositing in a State Bank of India account. Mohan has given an acknowledgement receipt to this effect. Enquiries with the bank revealed that the amount was not deposited in the SBI account till date.

Based on this complaint,an FIR was registered on Friday in Chandigarh on charges of embezzlement against Mohan. As the amount embezzled is more than Rs 2 lakh,the matter was referred to the EOW. The Chandigarh Polices EOW will now seek Mohans custody once he is remanded to judicial custody by the Mumbai court after ATS completes his interrogation in the drug-haul case.

According to reports from Mumbai,Mohan has allegedly told his interrogators that prior to his Mumbai arrest,he had pushed 10 kg of heroin into the market in north India in 2008. Mohan had also made contacts with two more persons,one based in Mahim and the other in Vile Parle,for pushing the drug in Mumbai.

The Maharashtra ATS is probing the route of drug trafficking after Mohan was arrested on January 24 with 12 kg of heroin at a pub in Oshiwara.

All the seizures made during his tenure as NCB zonal director,Jammu and Kashmir,have come under the scanner. While Mohan was zonal director of NCB,Chandigarh,he had an additional charge of the NCB zonal director,J&K.