Chandigarh, Oct 15 (IANS) Former Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Sunil Jakhar on Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government of staging theatrics in the name of combating drugs.
He alleged that a drug Inspector arrested in 2024, described at the time as the kingpin of a drug network and linked to substantial money and properties, had subsequently been appointed to an important position at the department’s headquarters by the state government.
He also asked why the state government had not involved the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the investigation despite allegations of money laundering.
Jakhar raised several questions for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the State Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav regarding the Mansa incident, the Punjab government’s performance against drugs and the reinstatement of drug Inspector Shishan Mittal.
He said that alongside its claims of action against drugs, the state government must explain what concrete steps it had taken against major trafficking networks and their financial transactions.
Referring to Mittal’s case, Jakhar said the Anti-Narcotics Task Force had arrested him in September 2024 on allegations of colluding with drug traffickers lodged in prisons and laundering drug money.
According to Jakhar, the investigation led to the freezing of Rs 7.09 crore in 24 bank accounts, while Rs 1.149 crore in cash, around 260 grams of gold and foreign currency were reportedly recovered from two lockers.
He also referred to real estate holdings in Zirakpur and Rajasthan.
Jakhar said that Mittal had been posted to Fazilka following complaints in Mansa and was arrested in Mohali during that posting.
He asked how after being granted bail and reinstated in 2025, Mittal had been entrusted with control over work relating to drug samples at the headquarters.
He urged the Chief Minister to ascertain, during Friday’s review of anti-drug measures, who had appointed the Inspector to an important position again.
Jakhar alleged that instead of involving the ED in the investigation, the Bhagwant Mann government, which he accused of being steeped in corruption, had treated the Inspector as a source of illicit earnings and assigned him a key responsibility at the department’s headquarters.
He asked the Chief Minister and the DGP how many other drug Inspectors had faced action following this case, how far investigations into traffickers’ money trails had progressed and what steps had been taken against kingpins operating their networks from prison.
Citing the foreign currency and alleged financial transactions, Jakhar asked why the case had not been handed over to the ED.
–IANS
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