BJP Leader Challenges Punjab Government to Release Drug Survey Report
Sunil Jakhar calls on the Punjab government to disclose a controversial drug survey report, alleging ulterior motives behind its conduct.
Chandigarh, October 27 (Daily Kiran) : Sunil Jakhar, the former president of the Punjab BJP, has challenged the state government to make public the findings of a statewide drug survey. Speaking in Chandigarh, Jakhar accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of using the survey to study the drug trade from a commercial perspective, aiming to control the illicit business and maximize profits.
Jakhar presented a series of interconnected allegations, asserting that the strategy behind the survey is not from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann but rather orchestrated by Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. He claimed that only these two individuals could devise such a “disgusting plan.”
He revealed that ₹250 crore was spent on the survey, involving the deployment of 28,000 personnel. Despite this, he noted that 6.5 million families faced humiliation, yet the report remains elusive. “Where is the report?” Jakhar questioned, suggesting that the survey’s purpose was not to benefit Punjab or address its issues but to tarnish the state’s image and systematically understand the drug trade’s operations.
Jakhar argued that if the Chief Minister had genuinely visited villages as claimed, there would have been no need for such a survey, as residents would have clarified the situation themselves. Instead, he accused the government of using the survey to develop a commercial model.
He referenced a statement from the Director General of Police, indicating that 80% of drug cases now involve pharmaceutical substances. Jakhar alleged that the government has plans to control the entire pharmaceutical supply chain in line with this statistic.
He also highlighted a recent incident involving a drug inspector arrested for corruption, who was reinstated and appointed as the drug controller, effectively bringing the trade under government control.
In another case, Jakhar mentioned the seizure of four kilograms of heroin by the Nathana police in 2023, with the main suspect, Harry, currently imprisoned in Firozpur. Harry, previously sentenced to 20 years for a murder case, had multiple charges against him. Jakhar alleged that the government facilitated his parole through the deputy commissioner and senior police superintendent of Fazilka, allowing him to escape to Dubai.
Jakhar claimed that Harry is now running a drug trafficking and extortion operation stretching from Abohar to Ludhiana, while police have closed his case file. He also referenced a constable, Karam Singh, associated with the ‘Baz’ drone system, who was found with 25 kilograms of heroin and admitted to arranging 24 other shipments.
He questioned whether the constable acted alone or if senior officials were involved. Jakhar pointed to drug seizures by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in border areas, allegedly linked to village leaders and AAP members, suggesting that party affiliates control the drug trade in Punjab.
