PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
The Special Task Force (STF) has arrested another member of a drug smuggling network, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five, officials said on Monday. The accused, Farooq, allegedly worked as a receiver and distributor of controlled painkillers in Haridwar and nearby areas for the main accused. The case is linked to the seizure of 18,000 capsules of the drug in Manglaur in May.
According to the STF, the investigation revealed that Farooq was involved in the illegal supply of the capsules along with another associate. Banking records, digital evidence and technical investigation helped the STF establish his alleged role in the network. He was arrested from Bharatpur village in Haridwar district on Monday.
The investigation also revealed that previously arrested accused Ankit Kumar Prajapati had been receiving the capsules from co-accused Sachin Manihar since January. He allegedly supplied the prescription medicines in Haridwar and nearby areas and transferred the money collected from sales to Manihar after deducting his commission.
The STF senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said that Salman and his associate Farooq helped Prajapati in the illegal supply network. Farooq was also allegedly involved in the seizure of 18,000 capsules in May.
A case was registered at Manglaur police station under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after the seizure. The investigation was later handed over to the STF. As evidence of organised drug trafficking emerged, Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was also added to the case. The STF is now examining the financial transactions, bank accounts and forward and backward links of the accused to identify other people involved in the network, Singh said.
