Mundra drug haul accused escapes from custody while being brought back after appearing in another case in Punjab’s Amritsar

Bhuj, February 18

An accused in the case related to the seizure of 2,988 kg of heroin at Mundra port in Gujarat in 2021 escaped from police custody in Punjab, where he was taken for a court appearance in another case, police said on Sunday.

Jobanjit Singh Sandhu, who was taken from the Bhuj jail in Kutch to appear before a court in Amritsar in another case, escaped on Saturday, Kutch (West) Superintendent of Police Mahendra Bagadiya said.

“He was being brought back from Amritsar when he managed to escape from the clutches of the Gujarat police. A search operation has been launched with the help of local police, and efforts are on to capture him,” the official said.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized around 2,988 kg of heroin from the containers at Mundra port in Kutch in September 2021.

The consignment was imported by a trading company registered in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, as semi-processed talc stones.

The narcotic substance was stated to be of Afghanistan origin and was shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran to Mundra Port.

The DRI conducted searches in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhidham and Mandvi in Gujarat, and several persons, including owners of Aashi Trading Company — M Sudhakar and his wife G Durga Purna Vaishali — were arrested.

The National Investigation Agency later took over the probe and booked the accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act apart from the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

As per the supplementary chargesheet filed by the probe agency in May 2023, 42 people and seven firms have been booked.