Drug haul: SAD leader Masih’s kin allege extortion by STF

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 22

Over a year after the Special Task Force (STF) arrested former Subordinate Services Board member and Akali leader Anwar Masih in connection with the seizure of massive drug haul for his property in Sultanwind village, his family members along with several Christian organisations accused the cops of extorting Rs9 lakh from him.

His son Joel Anwar Masih at a press conference on Tuesday alleged that the cops took money for not ‘implicating’ Anwar Masih in the case. However, the STF officials denied the allegations.

Joel said the then AIG STF Rashpal Singh, DSPs Vavinder Mahajan, Arun Sharma and Sikander Singh had demanded an SUV or Rs14.50 lakh from them. However, his father had refused their illegitimate demand saying that he was innocent and he would not bribe the cops. While showing the sale agreement copy, he said the property from where the seizure was made, had already been sold by him (Anwar Masih) by taking token advance payment (byana). He alleged that he personally gave Rs9 lakh in two insstalments to the cops.

When contacted, the then AIG Rashpal Singh termed these allegations as baseless. He said multiple agencies including NCB, IB, BSF and enforcement directorate were involved in the investigations into the seizure as some of the accused were from outside the country. The entire investigations were being looked by the DGP himself and therefore the question of corruption by one or two cops does not arise.

“Anwar Masih himself admitted in his statement that he had demarcated the said property for sale two days before the raid and confiscation of huge quantity of drugs including heroin,” he said, adding that how come he did not know about the heroin manufacturing unit running on the complex.

Vavinder Mahajan said the STF was planning to file a revision petition against the bail of Anwar Masih and his family was playing pressure tactics, so that we could not file the same. DSP Arun Sharma and DSP Sikander Singh also denied the allegations.

Masih, who was booked under Section 25 of the NDPS Act (owner of the place where drug trade is being carried out is responsible for the premises). The STF had seized 197-kg heroin and narcotic material and arrested around 20 persons in the case.

Claims & Counterclaims

“The then AIG STF Rashpal Singh, DSPs Vavinder Mahajan, Arun Sharma and Sikander Singh had demanded an SUV or Rs14.50 lakh from them. However, my father refused, saying that he was innocent and he will not bribe the cops. The property from where the seizure was made, had already been sold by him by taking token advance payment (byana). He personally gave Rs9 lakh in two instalments to the cops.”

Joel Anwar Masih, Akali leader Anwar Masih’s son

“These allegations are baseless. Multiple agencies including NCB, IB, BSF and Enforcement Directorate were probing into the seizure as some of the accused were from outside the country. The entire investigations were being looked by the DGP himself and therefore the question of corruption by one or two cops does not arise. Anwar Masih himself admitted that he had demarcated the said property for sale two days before the raid and confiscation of huge quantity of drugs.” Rashpal Singh, AIG