BSF head constable held for helping smugglers

MOHALI: Four days after the arrest of Border Security Force (BSF) constable Anil Kumar, a BSF head constable has been arrested for helping drug smugglers. Head constable Prem Singh of 72 BSF battalion was arrested from his house in Naushera Dhalla village, Tarn Taran, on Monday, said a senior Mohali police officer.
His involvement with smuggling of illegal weapons and drugs came to light following the interrogation of Gurjant Singh alias Bholu, a drug smuggler.Gurjant and two others of a gang of smugglers were arrested by Mohali police on January 4 from Kharar in Mohali district. Mohali SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that Gurjant Singh had confessed that he was getting help from Prem Singh in smuggling drugs and weapons from Pakistan into India through the international border.
Cops said when consignments of drugs were thrown across the fence, Prem Singh used to engage his other colleagues posted with him in talks to divert their attention from border watch. Prem Singh was given with Rs 50,000, two Indian SIM cards and one mobile phone by the accused Gurjant for ensuring drugs were smuggled in without any problem, said a police officer.
He had been in the BSF since 1993 and during his service he had served in Assam twice, Kashmir, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura and Fazilka. Prem Singh was introduced to Gurjant by Harchand Singh, a resident of Ram Singh village, a local drug smuggler in 2014 during his posting in Fazilka.
Cops said the relation between Prem Singh and Gurjant had soured over a money dispute. According to sources, Gurjant had refused to pay Prem Singh the money the latter had demanded for helping the gang smuggle drugs.
Uncovering a node between BSF security officials and drug smugglers, Mohali Police on January 9 had arrested a BSF constable Anil Kumar for helping drug smugglers in cross border smuggling of drugs and ammunitions.
Meanwhile, a local court remanded Prem Singh in four-day police remand on Tuesday.