Sacked Cop Arrested For Alleged Links To Punjab Police-Drug Nexus

Dismissed Punjab Police Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Raj Jit Singh Hundal has been arrested in connection with a case involving allegations of a police-drug nexus and manipulation of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases. 

Sources say he was arrested from Patiala. 

His arrest is linked to the wider investigation into dismissed inspector Inderjit Singh, whose alleged connections with drug traffickers had triggered a major probe into the functioning of the police drug investigation network.

The case also focuses multiple NDPS samples that allegedly failed during the period when Hundal was serving as SSP Tarn Taran and Inderjit Singh was posted as CIA in-charge. The Special Investigation Team examined allegations that drug samples were deliberately made to fail, potentially weakening or ending narcotics cases.

The SIT also investigated allegations of links between police officials and drug traffickers, as well as claims of manipulation and irregularities in the handling of narcotics cases.

Hundal's name emerged during the SIT investigation, following which the Punjab government dismissed him from service in April 2023. He has denied the allegations against him and challenged the proceedings in court.

His arrest is being seen as a major development in the long-running Punjab police-drug nexus case, which has raised questions over the investigation and handling of NDPS cases by police officials.