Investigation into the seizure of 3,000 kg of heroin from Gujarat’s Mundra Port last month has been transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and details of all accused in the case have been handed over to it, except one who remains elusive.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which made the initial seizure of the drugs worth Rs 15,000 crore on September 15, failed to trace a Delhi-based businessman, named Kuldeep Singh, who was the recipient of all consignments. The drugs, said to have originated from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, were seized from two containers at the Mundra port in Gujarat’s Kutch district.
Eight persons — four Afghan nationals, one Uzbek and three Indians — have been arrested so far in connection with the seizure. Those arrested include an Indian couple — M Sudhakar and his wife Durga Vaishali — who allegedly ran Vijayawada-registered M/S Aashi Trading Company which had imported the consignment claiming that it contained “semi-processed talc stones”.
The Key Man
According to the joint interrogation report accessed by News18.com, Kuldeep Singh played a key role not only in the import of the latest consignment of drugs, but had allegedly come to the rescue of main accused Sudhakar when a previous consignment was stuck over money issues.
Afghanistan-based drug dealer Hasan Hussain, who is said to have sent the drug consignment, had also allegedly asked Sudhakar to supply the containers to Singh, exposing the businessman’s purported link to the Afghan drug trade.
Investigating agencies so far know very little about the mystery businessman. With no photo or credible details available, investigators think even the name ‘Kuldeep Singh’ could be an alias. His stated address and phone numbers are invalid.
Investigators suspect that Singh is the point-person who distributes drugs to parts of India after receiving consignments in bulk.
“He is the key player as he knows about consignments and is also in touch with Afghan-based dealers. But we doubt that he can arrange hundreds of crores (of rupees) on his own. Someone from Canada or the US must be pumping money through him as he was the main handler for India,” a source said.
The interrogation report also points to a WhatsApp group named ‘Talc’, the ruse under which the drugs were imported, that allegedly included Hasan Hussain, Sudhakar, Rajkumar and Javed. The latter two are Indian and Iranian nationals, respectively, and among those arrested. But Kuldeep Singh never joined the group.
The first consignment sent by Hasan Hussain to Sudhakar via Javed was stuck at Mundra Port in June this year due to money issues. Sudhakar allegedly asked Kuldeep Singh for help and within minutes, the latter is said to have wired Rs 3 lakh and arranged additional amount through hawala transactions.
The Network
According to the joint interrogation report, Rajkumar introduced Sudhakar to Javed, an Iranian national who runs a company to process shipments. Javed, in turn, introduced Sudhakar to Afghan drug dealer Hassan Hussain who sent the consignments to India. A WhatsApp group was created among these men to assist in the drug import.
The first consignment in June reportedly originated in Iran and was successfully delivered to Kuldeep Singh after he helped Sudhakar arrange the money to get it out of the port. The cargo was declared as semi-processed talc. It was shipped into India by Afghanistan-based Hassan Hussain Company Ltd. and was routed through Bandar Abbas Port in Iran to Gujarat’s Mundra Port where Javed allegedly handled it.
“The company (Aashi Trading Company) had successfully delivered its first consignment on June 06, 2021, at Mundra port (Gujarat)… The consignment contained semi-processed talc powder (as claimed by the subject) and the consignee was one Delhi based person namely Kuldeep Singh r/o Alipur, New Delhi (sic),” the interrogation report said.
A Grave Miss
The interrogation report added that the first consignment was bigger than the one caught now, and was successfully delivered as agencies erred in checking it. Agencies became aware of the first consignment only after the second one was caught by the DRI though it used the same route and involved the same persons.
The report said that the earlier consignment was put on hold by Customs authorities at Mundra Port for routine examination, but it was later released after examination as ostensibly nothing suspicious was found.
“The consignment was handled at Mundra Port by Sanard shipping and was dispatched for Delhi via road. The declared consignee for this consignment was one Delhi based person namely Kuldeep Singh r/o Alipur, New Delhi. Stated part payment (Rs 03 Laks) to CHA (Sanard Shipping) for this consignment was made through a formal banking channel from Delhi. Later Sudhakar received additional Rs 09 Lakh through Hawala/non-Banking channel in cash. This transaction casts suspicion on the entire dealings (sic),” the report added.
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