Dismissed Punjab Police Officer Arrested in Patiala

CHANDIGARH, Sept 24: Dismissed Punjab Police Assistant Inspector General Raj Jit Singh, who had been absconding for nearly three years in a case concerning an alleged police drug trafficking nexus, was arrested from Patiala on Thursday, officials said.

A team of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force apprehended Singh from a house in Darshan Singh Nagar following a technical and financial investigation, according to a senior police official.

Singh had been wanted in connection with allegations arising from investigations into the activities of dismissed police inspector Inderjit Singh and his alleged links with drug traffickers. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in 2017 to examine allegations concerning the conduct of Raj Jit Singh, who had served as Senior Superintendent of Police in Moga and Tarn Taran.

The SIT submitted three reports as part of its inquiry. According to the Punjab government’s 2023 dismissal order, the reports contained findings indicating alleged complicity between Raj Jit Singh and Inderjit Singh.

Inderjit Singh had been dismissed from the police force after the Special Task Force allegedly recovered drugs from him in 2017. The subsequent investigation examined whether other police officials had facilitated or supported his activities.

Raj Jit Singh was dismissed from government service in April 2023 by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann following proceedings based on the SIT reports. The government order alleged that he had provided patronage to Inderjit Singh and that the two officials had misused their positions for personal benefit.

The order also referred to more than 50 samples in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act that had failed during the period when Raj Jit Singh was SSP Tarn Taran and Inderjit Singh was in charge of the Criminal Investigation Agency.

According to the government’s findings, these developments raised concerns about the handling of drug-related cases and the conduct of the officials involved. The order alleged that official powers were used to protect suspected drug traffickers, implicate individuals in false cases and interfere with investigations.

The government further alleged that Raj Jit Singh was familiar with technical procedures involved in cases registered under the NDPS Act and that these procedures were misused to benefit drug traffickers and facilitate the collection of money.

The allegations formed part of the proceedings that ultimately resulted in his dismissal from service.

His arrest on Thursday follows a prolonged period during which he remained unavailable to investigators. The Anti-Narcotics Task Force used technical and financial leads to trace his location before conducting the operation in Patiala.

The arrest marks a significant development in the long-running investigation into alleged links between sections of the police force and the illegal drug trade in Punjab.

Authorities are expected to continue investigating the allegations and circumstances surrounding the case. Further legal proceedings will determine the charges and evidence against Singh.

The allegations contained in government records and investigative findings remain subject to proceedings before the competent authorities and courts.