NIA charge-sheets Punjab man involved in smuggling of 500 kg heroin from Pakistan

New Delhi, July 9

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday charge-sheeted a man from Punjab for his alleged involvement in a case related to smuggling of 500 kilograms of heroin from Pakistan to India.

Manoj Kumar Sharma from Batala in Punjab has been named in the seventh supplementary charge-sheet filed before the NIA Special Court in Ahmedabad, an official statement said.

He is the 25th accused to be charge-sheeted in the case. 

The proceeds of the drug sales were used to fund terrorists and terror organisations in Kashmir, the statement issued by the probe agency said.

The NIA had taken over the case from the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Gujarat, in 2020 on the directives of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in view of the international linkages and security ramifications of the matter.

Investigations by NIA have revealed that 500 kg of heroin was smuggled in from Pakistan via the sea route to Punjab via Delhi and further distribution to many places in the country.

NIA’s probe so far has established the involvement of syndicate members in other countries, such as Italy, Australia, Thailand, the UAE, Iran and Afghanistan, in the criminal conspiracy.

The agency found during investigation that Sharma, in association with various arrested and wanted accused, including Italy-based Simranjeet Singh Sandhu, Pakistan-based Hajisaab alias Bhaijaan and Nabi Baksh, and Australia-based Tanvir Singh Bedi played a pivotal role in the whole racket, the statement said.

He was involved in smuggling, transporting, purifying and distributing drugs/heroin in Punjab and other states of India, it said.

NIA investigations further revealed that Sharma was also involved in further laundering of the proceeds through hawala to Pakistan, Thailand, Italy and Australia. He was also found to have purchased several properties from the money generated by selling drugs/heroin, the probe agency said.