Former Punjab police Deputy Superintendent of Police Hakikat Rai, Dera chief Bikram Nath, and their accomplice Swaran Singh were sentenced to 12 years of hard labour for narcotics smuggling by a Mohali court. Each convict was additionally fined ₹1.5 lakh by the judge. Following the seizure of a.32 barrel pistol and eighteen rounds of live ammo, the Special Task Force detained the three individuals in March 2018 for smuggling fifteen kilograms of opium. In response to a tip, the STF stopped a car close to Tanna village, where they discovered the weapon and opium.
Under interrogation, Bikram Nath disclosed that he later collaborated with Rai and Singh after receiving instructions to procure opium for a regular user at a dera.The three of them came up with a scheme to smuggle opium from Jharkhand, where it was less expensive. Then, taking advantage of the demand, they would sell the opium to addicts inside the dera for exorbitant prices.
The case serves as a reminder of the ongoing difficulties law enforcement organizations confront in stopping drug smuggling, especially when powerful people are involved in these illegal activities. The convictions serve as a reminder of how critical it is to maintain strict enforcement and vigilante behavior in order to stop drug trafficking.
