532kg heroin haul: HC denies bail to accused in narco-terrorism case | Chandigarh News

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed the regular bail appeal of Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan, alias Jarmanjit Singh, an accused in the 532 kg heroin haul from Attari on the India-Pakistan border in June 2019.A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry cited the “serious nature and gravity” of the offences and Gagandeep Singh’s chequered criminal history as primary reasons for the denial. Gagandeep is the brother of Ranjeet Rana alias Cheetah, described as country’s one of the biggest drug smugglers. The case against Gagandeep Singh is related to a wider National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into a narco-terrorism network involving the banned terror outfit Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM). According to the prosecution, the investigation began following the April 2020 arrest of Hilal Ahmed Shergojri, an associate of HM commander Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, who was found in possession of Rs 29 lakh intended for terrorist activities. Gagandeep Singh is alleged to be an active member of a gang that smuggled 532 kg heroin intercepted at the Attari border in 2019 from across the border. Authorities claim he acted as a “conduit”, selling smuggled drugs to various handlers and reinvesting the proceeds into properties under the direction of his brother, co-accused Ranjeet Rana. Gagandeep’s counsel sought his release on the grounds of “parity”, submitting that several co-accused were granted bail. They further contended that Gagandeep was in custody for over five years and that the trial, involving 209 witnesses, would take a substantial amount of time to conclude. They said he was falsely implicated on the basis that his brother is allegedly involved in smuggling activities. However, the NIA highlighted that Gagandeep lived under various fake identities and was already a declared proclaimed offender in a 2010 case involving attempted murder and drug charges. While hiding in Haryana’s Sirsa, he allegedly used a fake Aadhaar card under the name “Shivdayal Singh” to obtain a passport, driving licence, and even utility connections. The agency also contended that he is accused of procuring multiple mobile and internet connections under these aliases to maintain secure contact with handlers across the border. After hearing all the parties, the HC observed that according to the allegations of the prosecution, 532 kg of heroin was smuggled across the border in the garb of imported rock salt granules and was intercepted by the customs department at the Attari border on June 29, 2019. In dismissing the petition, the HC said the allegations are too serious to allow bail at his stage, particularly as his release could hamper the trial while material witnesses are yet to be examined. MSID:: 129503924 413 |