Daijiworld Media Network - Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Sep 22: The Haryana Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has uncovered a case allegedly linked to an international narco-terrorism network with the arrest of seven accused, Superintendent of Police Varun Singla said on Tuesday.
The ATS recovered one US-made pistol, one 30-bore pistol, three cash-counting machines, five mobile phones, 12 rounds of ammunition and 529 grams of ‘chitta’, a synthetic drug, from the accused.
Singla said the case was the first to be successfully solved by the Haryana ATS.
The investigation began after a firing incident was reported at Alif Laila Club in Panchkula in the early hours of September 13. A police team reached the spot, collected evidence and launched an investigation. A young woman was injured in the firing and was taken to hospital for treatment.
According to the investigation, five youths had arrived at the club in two vehicles. While consuming liquor, they allegedly got into an argument over an issue, following which one of them took out a pistol from a vehicle and fired two rounds. The firing injured a woman, who was subsequently hospitalised.
Seven accused have so far been arrested. Three were apprehended from the spot, one was arrested from Mohali in Punjab and three others were arrested from Ludhiana. A cash-counting machine was recovered during the initial arrests.
Interrogation and technical investigation subsequently yielded evidence allegedly linking the accused to an international narco-terror network.
Investigators found that some handlers operating from abroad, particularly the US, allegedly provided the accused with accommodation, vehicles and money to facilitate the transportation of weapons, narcotics and drug money to locations specified by them.
In view of the seriousness of the case, the investigation was transferred to the ATS. One of the accused allegedly involved in the firing was arrested on September 15, while investigators also gathered leads about the network involved in supplying weapons.
An alleged intermediary in the network was arrested from Ludhiana on September 19. During police remand, the ATS recovered 529 grams of ‘chitta’ based on information provided by the accused. A separate case was registered by the ATS in connection with the recovery of the narcotic substance.
Acting on further information, ATS teams conducted raids in Ludhiana and recovered a vehicle, a cash-counting machine and other material considered important to the investigation.
Police have also taken possession of the mobile phones belonging to all the accused and begun their technical analysis.
Singla said the investigation indicated that the accused were allegedly working for an international narco-terror network that used local handlers to deliver consignments of narcotics, weapons and other prohibited material received across the border through drones to designated locations.
Vehicles and funds were allegedly provided to people associated with the network to facilitate the movement and delivery of the consignments.
The ATS is now conducting a detailed investigation into the network’s entire supply chain, financial transactions, sources of weapons and narcotics and contacts with handlers operating from abroad, Singla said.