By IANS,
Chandigarh : The arrest of S.K. Sekhri, the zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) here on corruption charges, has further dented the reputation of the department that is already shrouded in controversy with many of its officers facing criminal charges.
Sekhri was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Sunday evening in New Delhi. He was trapped by officials of the investigating agency and was caught while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs.200,000 from the owner of a Himachal Pradesh-based pharmaceutical company.
Sekhri is the second senior NCB official here to be arrested. His predecessor and Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Saji Mohan, was arrested by the Mumbai Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) with 12 kg heroin from a Mumbai suburb Jan 25.
Saji Mohan was earlier posted in Chandigarh as the zonal director of the NCB, the central agency to curb narcotics trade in the country.
The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Chandigarh Police is also investigating a case of embezzlement of around Rs.1.3 million against Mohan and two of his close associates in NCB.
During his tenure in Chandigarh, Mohan had allegedly exposed the nexus between the local police and drug peddlers that led to the suspension of six policemen.
Inspector Ravi Kant Pawar, also an official of the NCB, was arrested by CBI sleuths in 2007 after he was caught whiloe allegedly demanding a bribe of nearly Rs.20 million from an Israeli smuggler’s fiance.
Pawar had arrested Lior Avi Ben Moyal, an Israeli, along with contraband. In connivance with head constable Balwinder Singh, he allegedly demanded Rs.20 million for Moyal’s release.
In a related case, NCB constable Paramjit Singh was held in 2008 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs.5,000 from Moyal’s relative.