— PROBE REVEALS THAT ABSCONDING ACCUSED JODHBIR JODHA ALSO COLLECTS DRUG PROCEEDS AND REMITS THEM TO PAKISTAN VIA HAWALA CHANNELS: DGP GAURAV YADAV
— POLICE TEAMS ON MANHUNT TO NAB ABSCONDING ACCUSED JODHBIR JODHA
CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, May 1:
In a significant breakthrough amidst the ongoing anti-drugs campaign Yudh Nashian Virudh launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police’s relentless pursuit of absconding accused Jodhbir Singh alias Jodha—wanted in a Pak-backed illegal weapon smuggling module—led to the recovery of 5 kilograms of heroin from his rented hideout in Amritsar, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Thursday.
The development came four days after Counter Intelligence Amritsar has arrested of Jodhbir’s accomplice identified as Abhishek Kumar of village Meerankot Kalan in Amritsar, who was supplying weapons to anti-social elements on the instructions of his Australia-based handler identified as Jassa. Police teams had also recovered seven pistols and Rs 1.5 lakh from his possession, besides, impounding his Mahindra Thar vehicle being used for weapon smuggling.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation revealed that Australia-based handler Jassa and his associates— with links to Pakistan-based smugglers— were directing accused Jodhbir to retrieve heroin consignments for further distribution at different locations.
Further intelligence also indicates that accused Jodhbir Singh also collects drug proceeds and remits them to Pakistan through hawala channels, he said, while adding that the accused, who remains at large, is now implicated in a dual nexus of narcotics and weapon smuggling.
Sharing operation details, the DGP said that following the trail of accused Jodhbir, CI Amritsar police teams have found that the accused has got a accommodation in the Varindavan Garden Colony at Fatehgarh Churian Road in Amritsar, where he has stored a huge quantity of heroin and was also using rented house as safe haven.
Acting swiftly, Police teams raided the house and managed to recover 5kg heroin along with currency counting machine from the house, while, accused Jodhbir has been absconding. “Police teams are on manhunt to apprehend accused Jodhbir,” he said.
A fresh case FIR No. 27 dated 30-04-2025 has been registered under sections 21, 25, 27-A and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar.
