UPI, heroin, grenades: Punjab police uncover key money link in narco-terror case

The drug money was deposited into Satnam’s account and subsequently routed to the other members of the network, the officer said.

Punjab Police on Sunday said it has busted a key financial link of an inter-state and cross-border narco-terror module with the arrest of a crucial financial conduit.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said the accused has been identified as Satnam Singh (22), a resident of Punnewal village in Sangrur district.

Satnam, who worked as a taxi driver with a private company, travelled to Azerbaijan on a tourist visa last June, where he came in contact with a Pakistan-based drug smuggler, the officer said.

The development follows a thorough investigation into the arrest of a key narco-terror operative, Rajbir Singh alias Fauji, from Raxaul near the India-Nepal border in Bihar, while he was attempting to flee to the neighbouring country.

Rajbir, who deserted the Indian Army in February 2025, supplied heroin to Chirag, a courier arrested with 107 gm of heroin and one 9 mm pistol along with live cartridges.

In a statement, Yadav said preliminary investigation revealed that Satnam facilitated terror financing by using his bank account and UPI credentials for routing proceeds of heroin trafficking, acting at the behest of a Pakistan-based drug smuggler.

The DGP said the network has been linked to significant heroin recoveries, illegal arms trafficking, and a grenade attack in Haryana’s Sirsa in November 2025.

Deepak Pareek, Assistant Inspector General, Special Operations Cell, said that during interrogation, Rajbir revealed that after he returned to India last September, the Pakistan-based smuggler re-established contact with him to work for the drug network, offering him commissions for facilitating financial transactions.

The drug money was deposited into Satnam’s account and subsequently routed to the other members of the network, the officer said.

Rajbir used the account of Tarn Taran-based Gurjant Singh to transfer funds into Satnam’s account, Pareek said, adding that Haryana Police have arrested Gurjant.