PATIALA: The court of additional district and sessions judge Devinder Kumar on Wednesday sentenced six persons for running a drug racket under the garb of de-addiction centre in the Nabha sub-division of the district to 10 years of imprisonment.

The racket had been busted by the Patiala police on September 2, 2013, following a complaint alleging that the accused were selling drugs to hundreds of residents of nearby villages under the grab of running a drug de-addiction centre.

Those convicted by the court included Bikramjeet Singh @ Vicky and Gurmeet Kaur of Rani Bagh Nabha, Gurmeet Kaur, Baljinder Singh of Vikram Colony Nabha, Joginder Singh of Manchuri village under the Asandh segment of Karnal district, Shivam of Gosali village under Madhuban segment of Karnal district, Manjinder Singh of Amir Colony Rajpura. One person, Rajinder Singh Kapoor of Guru Nanak Pura, Nabha, was acquitted. It was established that many would regularly visit the centre to procure drugs which were supplied by mixing these in some herbal powder.

The police had claimed to have seized 50,000 tablets, 380 capsules, 75.5 kg narcotic powder, three luxury cars (Skoda, Endeavour and Outlander) and Rs 2,42,000 in cash from the accused. The police had also arrested Bikramjit Singh, his father Amarjit Singh and mother Gurmit Kaur. Later, names of three other accused had also cropped up during the police investigations who had also been booked.

Police investigators found that accused were running similar centres in Karnal in Haryana. The police in their challan had stated that the accused used to sell drug-laced herbal powder at Rs 15 per portion and were operating this racket since 2007. It had been found that Amarjit Singh would procure drugs on a chemist license and then they would mix the powder in some herbal medicines and sell it.

Besides sealing the centre, the police had also attached Hotel Blue Heaven, which was allegedly constructed by the accused with the money from proceeds of the crime. The accused were said to be politically well connected.

