New Delhi: At a time when Punjab Police is facing backlash over an anti-drug crusader’s murder and protests against rampant drug abuse, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in Khanna has been arrested for allegedly planting narcotics in a Shiv Sena Punjab leader’s home.
The ASI—identified as Sukhdev Singh—was purportedly captured on a hidden camera placing the drugs under a mattress at Shiv Sena Punjab leader Mahant Kashmir Giri’s residence. A video doing the rounds on social media allegedly shows ASI Singh entering in plain clothes and planting the drugs, and a team of uniformed police personnel arriving immediately after.
The ASI’s arrest comes after Khanna police claimed to have recovered heroin from the same spot and arrested Giri.
Last week, another ASI was allegedly caught consuming “chitta” (adulterated form of heroin) on duty in Punjab’s Mansa district—which has been shaken by agitations since the killing of anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota earlier this month.
Khanna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Darpan Ahluwalia told ThePrint: “ASI Sukhdev Singh has been suspended. The suspect, Mahant Kashmir Giri, has been discharged from the case. We have begun an inquiry into the matter.”
Ahluwalia added: “A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by an SP-rank officer has been constituted to probe the matter and determine the role of other officials who had conducted the search operation at Giri’s residence on Sunday. We continue to believe in accountability and will go to every length to rid Punjab of the drug menace.”
The video in question
In the viral video, ASI Sukhdev Singh was seen entering a room in plain clothes and placing a sachet under a mattress. Subsequently, other officers identified as Vijaypal Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), Sadar Police Station, Tarwinder Kumar Bedi, SHO, City-2 arrived at the house. The clip is allegedly from a hidden camera in Giri’s house.
During the search, the police claimed to have recovered around 30 grams of heroin from beneath the same mattress and arrested Giri. Earlier, the police had said that Giri’s driver, Gurjant Singh alias Janta, had been nabbed with 7.5 grams of heroin in an FIR registered at Khanna Sadar Police Station.
“Giri’s name had surfaced when the local police were interrogating Janta, following which we had learnt of their visit to Giri’s house,” SSP Ahluwalia told ThePrint.
Giri’s run in with police
The Shiv Sena Punjab leader has faced several criminal cases over the years, with allegations ranging from attempted murder and weapons offences to cheating, impersonation and drug trafficking. He has been booked under six FIRs including five in Punjab and one in Delhi. His name has cropped up in cases registered in both Punjab and Delhi, including incidents allegedly involving his family members.
In October 2025, the police arrested Giri and his four accomplices for allegedly running a drug supply racket in Punjab, and claimed recovery of 1.15 kg of heroin from the gang. The racket was allegedly operated by Lovepreet Singh, a drug peddler already lodged in Ropar jail, the police had said, adding that Giri was in contact with the jailed peddler.
In April 2021, Giri was arrested for allegedly orchestrating an attack on himself to get a security cover. He had claimed that two bike-borne men had opened fire outside his residence. Giri then had accused “Khalistani radicals” of being behind the attack, but investigators had later found that Giri had allegedly hired two men and paid them Rs 1 lakh to carry out the firing.
(Edited by Pakhi Khare)