NIA announced that it has filed a supplementary chargesheet in the Attari narcotics case, involving over 100 kilograms of drugs valued at Rs 700 crore. The chargesheet was filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in a special court in Delhi.

According to the NIA, seven additional accused have been named in the chargesheet. This development marks a significant step in the ongoing investigation into the high-profile drug haul case at Attari.

The case initially came to light due to its scale and the estimated value of the narcotics seized. The NIA has been actively pursuing leads and gathering evidence to ensure a thorough investigation into the matter.

According to the NIA, seven individuals have been formally charged in connection with case RC-35/2022/NIA/DLI, involving an international drug syndicate conspiracy.

The NIA has identified the seven accused as key operatives within the syndicate. They are named as Athar Saeed, Amritpal Singh, Avtar Singh, Harwinder Singh, Tahseem, Deepak Khurana, and Ahmad Farid.

The NIA stated that these seven accused were engaged in smuggling drugs into India and distributing them to various distributors nationwide. Additionally, they played a role in funneling the proceeds from drug sales to the main accused individuals located abroad.

The NIA had previously filed charges against four individuals in the case. In April 2022, the Indian Customs Department seized a total of 102.784 kilograms of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 700 crore, in two separate seizures at Integrated Check Posts in Amritsar's Attari. The narcotics were concealed within a consignment of Licorice roots (Mulethi).

According to the NIA, the drug consignment had been smuggled into India by Nazir Ahmed Qani, based in Afghanistan, under the directions of Shahid Ahmed alias Qazi Abdul Wadood, who is currently absconding in Dubai. The intended recipient of the consignment was identified as Razi Haider Zaidi, tasked with distributing the drugs across various parts of the country.

In December 2022, the NIA formally charged Nazir Ahmed Qani, Shahid Ahmed alias Qazi Abdul Wadood, and Razi Haider Zaidi, along with Vipin Mittal. Mittal and Zaidi were initially arrested in connection with the case. Subsequently, in December 2023, the NIA apprehended Amritpal Singh after seizing narcotics proceeds worth Rs 1.34 crore from him. Amritpal was arrested while attempting to flee the country.

In April and May 2024, the NIA made five additional arrests in connection with the case. The accused were identified as Athar Saeed, Avtar Singh, Harwinder Singh, Tahseen, and Deepak Khurana.

Image source: ANI