Punjabi singer arrested with drugs in Ludhiana

Ludhiana, Feb 17

Punjabi singer Gurjant Singh, 24, who uses the screen name Gurr-Vir Singh, and an accomplice named Surjit Singh, 35, were arrested by the Punjab police’s special task force (STF) on Saturday as 1.5-kg heroin was recovered from their possession — besides a revolver with five bullets, and a mobile phone with an Italy number — at a naka set up after a tip-off, police said.

The duo worked in tandem with smugglers in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Vancouver (Canada) and Dubai (UAE), and Gurjant, whose songs have in excess of 7 lakh views on YouTube, used drug money to produce his music video, police suspect. The case against the two men — Gurjant of Lopoke village and Surjit alias Kalu of Mava village, in Amritsar — was registered under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act at the Meharban area police station. “Gurjant’s brother Nirmal Singh is also involved in cross-border smuggling from Pakistan,” said assistant inspector general (AIG), STF, Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar.

The arrest were made after sub-inpector Harbans Singh, in-charge of the anti-drug STF at Ludhiana, and his men set up a naka at the T-point near Mattewara on Rahon Road upon getting a tip-off, the AIG said. “The two men were in a Ford Figo hatchback when they reversed and tried to speed away upon seeing the checkpoint. Policemen chased them down and seized the car too.”

“Surjit Singh said that he is a farmer, but he was into drug peddling for the past two years. He used to procure drugs from smugglers near the Pakistan border. Gurjant is into smuggling since the past six months. We have launched a manhunt to arrest Nirmal Singh too. We are investigating their past criminal record, if any.” the AIG added.

He further said that the mobile phone recovered from the duo had an Italy number registered in the name of “Sonu”. In its contact list, police said they found numbers of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Vancouver and Dubai. The duo allegedly told the cops that they used WhatsApp calling — which bypasses tapping — to stay in touch with the “suppliers”.