NIA chargesheets 7 more in Attari narcotics haul case

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted seven more accused in the sensational case of over 100-kilogram narcotics haul in Attari, an official statement said on Saturday.

In its supplementary charge sheet filed on Friday before the Patiala House Court here, the probe agency identified the seven accused persons as key operatives in the international drug syndicate conspiracy related to the case.

According to NIA investigations, all seven chargesheeted accused -- Athar Saeed, Amritpal Singh, Avtar Singh, Harwinder Singh, Tahseem, Deepak Khurana and Ahmad Farid -- were allegedly involved in the smuggling of drugs into India and their circulation to various distributors across the country.

They were also involved in channelising the proceeds of the drugs to the main accused persons based abroad, said the statement issued by the NIA.

The probe agency had earlier chargesheeted four accused in the case.

In April 2022, the Indian Customs department had seized a total of 102.784 Kgs of heroin (narcotic substance), valued at approximately Rs 700 crore, in two instalments at the Integrated Check Post Attari, Amritsar.

The drugs were concealed in a consignment of Licorice roots (Mulethi).

The NIA investigations found it had been smuggled into the country by Afghanistan-based Nazir Ahmed Qani on the directions of Dubai-based Shahid Ahmed alias Qazi Abdul Wadood, an absconding accused.

The consignment was meant to be delivered to accused Razi Haider Zaidi for distribution in various parts of the country, the statement said.

The NIA had in December 2022 charge sheeted these three, along with one Vipin Mittal.

Mittal and Razi were initially arrested in the case, and in December 2023, the NIA also arrested another accused, Amritpal Singh, after recovering the proceeds of narcotics amounting to Rs 1.34 crore from him, the NIA said, adding that Amritpal was nabbed while attempting to flee the country.

In April and May 2024, the NIA made five more arrests in the case, identifying the accused as Athar Saeed, Avtar Singh, Harwinder Singh, Tahseem and Deepak Khurana.