Srinagar: Police on Wednesday attached a property worth Rs 1.5 crore of a “notorious” drug peddler here that was allegedly acquired through the proceeds of illicit drug trafficking.
The property was attached under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in connection with a case registered at Shalteng police station, a police spokesperson said.
He said the action followed a detailed financial investigation conducted in accordance with Chapter V-A of the NDPS Act. During the investigation, a comprehensive inquiry into the assets of the accused and his family members was carried out, he added.
Examination of revenue records, property documents, field verification reports, valuation inputs and statements of concerned persons revealed that a two-storey residential house, constructed during 2018-2019, was acquired through the proceeds of illicit drug trafficking, the spokesperson said.
He said it was established that the known and lawful income of the accused and his family members was insufficient to justify the acquisition and construction of the property.
The source of funds was found to be unexplained, disproportionate and directly linked to narcotics-related activities, he said.
Accordingly, freezing orders under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act have been issued, prohibiting the sale, transfer, mortgage, or creation of any third-party interest in the attached property until further orders from the competent authority, the spokesperson said.
Police on Wednesday also attached a house valued at over Rs 12 lakh in Kathua district that belonged to an alleged drug peddler, officials said.
The action followed confirmation by the Competent Authority under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA), marking a significant step towards dismantling the financial network of organised drug trafficking in the region, they said.
After a detailed financial investigation, a single-storey residential house valued at Rs 12,26,303, belonging to Javed Akhter, a resident of Lohai Malhar in Billawar tehsil, was provisionally attached under the NDPS Act, officials said.
The case was subsequently referred to SAFEMA for confirmation, which has now upheld the attachment, giving legal finality to the proceedings.
The officials said the accused is a habitual offender, has been booked under the PIT NDPS Act, and has four cases registered against him.
