The NIA arrested the trucker in November last year and is further probing his role. (Representational)
New Delhi:
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a supplementary charge sheet in a Gujarat court on Monday against truck operator Indresh Kumar Nishad in a narco-terrorism case, the agency said in a statement.
The agency has charged that Nishad’s truck was used to transport heroin, smuggled into India from Pakistan via sea route, to Amritsar in Punjab. The NIA arrested Nishad in November last year and is further investigating his role in the case.
The case relates to Aziz Abdul Bhagad who was arrested by Gujarat Police on August 12, 2018 with nearly 5 kg heroin worth Rs 14.84 lakh. The Gujarat Police alleged that he was part of an international drug smuggling racket involving Pakistani masterminds.
Seven more accused persons — Rafik Adam Sumra, Nazir Ahmad, Arshad Abdul Razak Sota @ Raju Dubai, Manzoor Ahmad, Razak Adam Sumra, Karim Md.Siraj and Sunil Vithal Barmase — were subsequently arrested by the police.
The NIA took over investigation into the case on July 2 last year and filed charge sheet against eight persons under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
In its supplementary charge sheet filed before a special court in Ahmedabad on Monday, the NIA has alleged that a tranche of 200 kg out of a total 500 kg of heroin smuggled from Pakistan was loaded and concealed between wooden panels in the truck of Nishad who transported it from Gandhidham in Gujarat and delivered to the aides of wanted accused Simranjit Singh Sandhu in Amritsar in Punjab.
In a statement, the NIA said, “Investigation revealed that arrested accused person Arshad Abdul Razak Sota and two missing Pakistani nationals, named Haji Saab alias Bhaijaan and Nabi Baksh, had entered into a conspiracy in Dubai to smuggle 500 kg of heroin from Pakistan to Gujarat, India, by sea route.”
The Pakistani nationals allegedly used a fishing vessel to push the heroin into Indian waters till seven miles off Jakahau port in Kutch, Gujarat where it was loaded onto Indian vessel ”Nagani Mustafa” belonging to Aziz Abdul Bhagad and another boat.
“Accused Aziz Abdul Bhagad had pilfered five kg of the heroin from the consignment and concealed it in a pit near Sadosala village, Gujarat. Investigation has further revealed that 300 kg of the narcotic drug consignment concealed in sacks of cumin and suva (dill) was transported through Akshar Transport to Amritsar, Punjab by accused Nazir Ahmad, Manzoor Ahmad (both residents of Jammu and Kashmir) and wanted accused Simranjit Singh Sandhu,” the NIA spokesperson said.
The last consignment of 200 kg of heroin was delivered by Razak Adam Sumra to Karim Md. Siraj and Sunil Vithal Barmase who further delivered it to Nishad in Gandhidham for carrying it to Amritsar.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)