Amritsar, July 5: Giving in to greed, BSF constable Chenthilraj Kanagraj allegedly let smugglers retrieve heroin from across the border in lieu of Rs 30,000.
On the intervening night of June 29 and 30, he was on duty at Border Outpost Singoke in Ramdass sector, the key spot from where he helped the accused sneak in 14.8-kg of heroin worth Rs 74 crore from Pakistan.
Preliminary investigations by the BSF revealed that he had struck the deal for Rs 30,000, although his accomplices have revealed a much higher figure.
Rajesh Kumar, DIG, BSF, Gurdaspur, said Kanagraj was actively involved in the racket. After his interrogation, he would be handed over to the state police.
Four persons, including an ex-serviceman, were arrested on Tuesday from the Ajnala-Bhindian road. During their interrogation, they told the police about Kanagraj’s alleged involvement.
The accused constable had reportedly done a survey to identify a spot from where he could dodge his colleagues on duty. “He had intimated the accused about the particular spot from where he could help them,” the DIG said.
Kanagraj, who belonged to the 118 Batallion in Abohar sector, had joined the duty three months ago in Ramdass sector as part of a replacement company, after the shifting of jawans of the 73 Battalion to Kashmir.
Around a month ago, Tarwinder Singh, the ex-serviceman, had approached him. Kanagraj, who is reportedly under debt due to his lavish lifestyle, readily agreed to join them.
The DIG said: “The constable has confessed that since he was running short of money to pay his liabilities, he fell in the trap.”
Meanwhile, the names of two more accused Bikramjit Singh and Gurjant Singh, both from Amritsar — surfaced in the case. They are absconding.
Police sources said Kanagraj, Tarwinder and Bikramjit were in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers for quite some time through social media. They said Bikramjit was arrested under the NDPS Act last year, but was bailed out.
Source Tribune India
