The Special Investigation Agency (SIA) has arrested two more persons, including a police constable, for allegedly being part of a cross-border narcotic syndicate involved in terror funding here. The recent arrest of selection grade constable Saif-ud-din of Jammu and former sarpanch Farooq Ahmad Jungal of Uri in Baramulla district took the number of accused in the case to 17.

The SIA uncovered the syndicate during its investigation into a Hawala case involving Jatinder Singh, the former minister of J&K and chairman of Nature-Mankind Friendly Party. Singh was arrested in April 2022, and the SIA had previously filed a chargesheet against 12 individuals, including Singh, in relation to this case. Nine accused are currently held in the Central jail, while three are fugitives in Pakistan.

A recent raid by the SIA at the policeman's residence in Belicharana led to the seizure of electronic gadgets. The investigation aims to smash the narcotics supply ecosystem funding anti-national activities. The drugs brought into India from Pakistan are sold to peddlers who take them to different areas of J&K, Punjab and New Delhi. The money collected through sale of these drugs is used in terrorism in J&K.

The arrested policeman had previously faced charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act when arrested with 200 grams of heroin in Shahpur Kandi area of Pathankot in Punjab.

His involvement, along with that of the former sarpanch from Uri, was brought to light following the arrest of key accused Mohammad Sharief Chechi last year. Chechi, a resident of Uri, played a crucial role in collecting narcotics from across the Line of Control (LoC) to finance terror activities.

Initiated at the Gandhi Nagar police station in Jammu, the case unfolded after the arrest of Mohammad Shareef Shah, a worker of Jatinder Singh, who was found with Hawala money in Jammu. There have been many recoveries along LoC and International Border in J&K, where drone had dropped arms, ammunition and drugs. Locals affiliated with terror organisations pick these consignments and hand it over to the person concerned.

Courtesy: The Tribune India:  4th  Jan , 2024