Congress' Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira arrested in 2015 drugs case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 28

In an early morning swoop, a Fazilka police team arrested Congress’ Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira from his Sector 5 residence here in connection with re-investigation into an eight-year-old drug smuggling case, which has spanned three governments of different political parties.

Evidence against Congress MLA: Cops

• Arrest comes after probe by new SIT into 2015 FIR involving cross-border smuggling network in Fazilka
• Nine, including Khaira ‘aide’ Gurdev, were convicted; cops say they have phone chat record of two

Khaira also faces charges of money laundering, besides involvement in a fake passport racket in New Delhi.

Soon after Khaira’s house was raided around 6 am, drama unfolded for nearly half an hour as he went live on the social media questioning the “legality” of police action.

It’s politics of revenge by AAP. They may eliminate me. Mann will be solely responsible. I will fight back.

— Sukhpal Khaira

A government spokesperson said contrary to Khaira’s claims, the police arrested him on the basis of a fresh probe into the old FIR by a special investigation team (SIT) led by DIG Swapan Sharma. Incidentally, Sharma was Fazilka SSP when the case was registered against Khaira.

The MLA has remained in the Opposition parties over the past eight years. The SAD-BJP combine government had booked Khaira for drug smuggling, while the Congress government continued the probe and the police questioned him.

In November 2021, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had booked and arrested Khaira in a money laundering case. The Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab had formed a new SIT in April to probe the old cases.

A government spokesperson, quoting the findings of the new SIT, said the cases pertained to cross-border drug smuggling network in Fazilka, involving drugs, weapons and Pakistan SIM cards.

Nine persons were arrested by the Jalalabad police on March 9, 2015, following seizure of 2 kg heroin, 24 gold biscuits, a country made pistol, two Pakistan SIM cards and a vehicle.

An additional District and Sessions Judge convicted the nine, including Gurdev Singh, allegedly a close aide of Khaira. The police claimed they had phone call records between Gurdev and Khaira.

They claimed Khaira and his family spent nearly Rs 6.5 cr between 2014 and 2020, which was beyond his known source of income.

The police said there were substantial unexplained cash deposits of Khaira and family members.

Mehtab Singh Khaira, advocate and son of the arrested MLA, alleged the police had bypassed all legal procedures and even a Supreme Court order to gag the voice of his father.

The MLA was produced in a Jalalabad court, which remanded him in two-day police custody. The police had sought a seven-day remand.

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