- Punjabi singer Harbir Singh Sohal was arrested with 5 kg heroin and Rs 1.50 lakh cash
- Sohal allegedly worked as a courier in a drug network operated from Australia
- Police probe began after a man was arrested with drugs on March 7
Punjabi singer Harbir Singh Sohal has been arrested after 5 kg of heroin and Rs 1.50 lakh in cash were recovered from his car, a Mahindra Thar, on Monday.
The singer was allegedly a "courier" in a drug supply network that was being operated from Australia, the police said. The police began a probe after a man, Akshay Kumar, a resident of Ludhiana, was arrested with drugs on March 7.
Following backward linkages, two more persons, identified as Vishal and Sanjeev, both residents of Shimlapuri, were arrested.
During questioning, the name of Sohal surfaced, who was a 'courier' in the drug supply chain, the police said.
Sohal, a resident of Amritsar, was currently residing in Mohali.
His questioning revealed that the heroin consignment belonged to a man, Gurjant Singh, alias Janta, who is presently said to be in Australia.
Investigating agencies said that Janta was orchestrating the funding and operations of the entire network from Australia, while his associates in Punjab managed the supply and distribution of the drugs. The police are now investigating the network's foreign contacts, financial transactions, and connections to organised crime gangs.
Gangster Jaipal Bhullar's name had also emerged in the case, following which the security agencies are probing whether the drug money was being utilised to fund criminal activities.
