Punjabi singer Baaz Sran arrested by NCB in drug smuggling case

Punjabi singer Baaz Sran

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday arrested Jagsir Singh, also known by his stage name Baaz Sran, after he spent nine years evading the law. Declared a proclaimed offender in 2016, Singh had been wanted for his alleged involvement in a 2015 drug case related to the seizure of over 36 kilograms of opium, The Tribune reported.

Singh, originally from Malikpura village in Sirsa district, Haryana, managed to escape arrest for nearly a decade by frequently changing his identity and location. During this time, he created a new image for himself, not as a fugitive, but as a popular singer on social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. His songs, often glamorising crime and jail life, gathered millions of views, and he gained thousands of followers online.

One of his most well-known songs, titled ‘Sarkari Kothi’ (government house), compares a jail to an official residence. The lyrics go: “Jattan di sarkari kothi hundi jail kuddey” (The government house of Jatt is jail, girl). Ironically, just two months after releasing this song, which has received over 1.3 million views on YouTube, he was arrested by the Chandigarh zonal unit of NCB, according to a TOI report.

Singh had also written and composed his songs himself and even collaborated with well-known Punjabi female singers such as Deepak Dhillon and Gurlez Akhtar. On Instagram, he had a growing fan base of more than 32,600 followers.

The NCB had recently intensified efforts to track him down. In May 2025, they released his details in newspapers and announced a Rs 50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Based on inputs received thereafter, he was arrested on Wednesday, the NCB said in a statement.

An NCB official revealed that although Singh was involved in a major drug trafficking case, he himself did not use drugs. “He’s a fitness freak. We arrested him right after he had been out for a run and was exercising. Even though he promoted drugs and weapons in his music, he didn’t consume them,” the official was quoted by TOI as saying.

His song ‘Sarkari Kothi’ also mentions facing serious criminal charges, including those under the Arms Act and attempt to murder (Section 307). One line goes: “25, 54, 59 laggi naal 307 de ni, jail diyaan baahlian likhiyaan karman vich jatt de di” (I've been charged under sections 25, 54, 59, and 307; a jail term is written in the fate of a Jatt).

While one of his co-accused in the case has already been convicted, Singh will now face legal proceedings for his long-pending charges