By Mohan Lal Verma
Shimla, Mar 10 (UNI) In a shocking expose, Himachal Pradesh police have busted a drug trafficking network allegedly involving several government employees, including police personnel, who now face termination from service besides other punitive actions.
The alleged “key operatives” of the trafficking network of ‘Chitta’ (synthetic heroin) also include doctors, forest guards and welfare officers, according to the Himachal Pradesh Police which claims to have unearthed the racket during meticulous investigations spanning two years.
The accused, who have been arrested, allegedly worked with gangs like Radhe, Ranjan and Gurmeet to smuggle Chitta, the police said.
Because of the development, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, vowing to “dismantle the drug empire brick by brick”, has approved the dismissal of the accused employees, recovery of the ill-gotten wealth and amendment to the laws to ensure such betrayals never recur.
According to the Himachal Pradesh Police, the accused include a Punjab Police constable, a doctor posted at PHC Gumma, lab technician at CH Rohru, a Tehsil Welfare Officer, a Senior Assistant in the Deputy Director’s office and an HRTC mechanic.
The police alleged that forest guards abused their jurisdiction to hide drug routes, patwaris manipulated land records to launder money, and teachers used school premises as trafficking hubs.
The most brazen role allegedly was that of Punjab Policeman Devinder Kumar, posted in Rupnagar, who is accused of moonlighting as a drug courier, the HP police said.
Chief Minister Sukhu, declaring a “war on drugs and the traitors within,” has ordered the termination of all employees against whom there is ‘credible evidence’.
The state government also plans to invoke the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to freeze salaries, confiscate properties, and recover public funds siphoned during their tenure.
“These individuals looted the state twice -- first by drawing salaries as public servants and then by profiting from poisoning our youth. They deserve neither mercy nor pension,” an angry Sukhu stated.
For instance, Mukkal Chauhan, a Tehsil Welfare Officer, and Vijend Singh Rawat, a school teacher in Rohru, now face not only jail but the loss of decades of earnings, promotions, and retirement benefits.
A forest guard in Todsa, Prashant Rathore, allegedly used his beat area in Jalwadi to store drugs, while a patwari in Chidgaon, Vijay Kumar, manipulated revenue records to hide transactions, the police claimed.
A lab technician at CH Rohru, Aman Kumar, allegedly forged medical reports to aid traffickers, and an HRTC mechanic, Pawan Kumar, used official vehicles to transport contraband, according to the police.
The menace of drug-trafficking is worrying for the people in ‘devbhumi’ as such gangs reportedly operate in 14 of the 21 districts of the state.
The Sukhu government is serious in dealing with the menace and is planning to amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to mandate immediate dismissal and lifetime bans from government jobs for drug-related offences.
Additionally, the state will collaborate with central agencies to track money trails and seize assets, including homes, vehicles, and bank accounts linked to accused employees.
“We will turn their ill-gotten wealth into rehabilitation centres for victims,” said an
official.
Sanjeev Gandhi, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), who spearheaded the crackdown, emphasised the department’s unwavering commitment to eradicating the drug menace.
“Our fight against drug trafficking is not just a duty; it is a moral obligation to protect
our youth and our society. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that every trafficker, regardless of their position, faces the full force of the law. This is our promise to the people of Himachal Pradesh,” he declared. UNI ML SSP AKK