The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday (March 23, 2025) had an alleged notorious gangster and drug trafficker, Jagdeep Singh aka Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, shifted from a high-security Bathinda prison to Central Jail in Assam’s Silchar as part of the ongoing crackdown on criminal syndicates operating from behind bars. He is also an accused in the murder of singer-rapper Sidhu Moosewala on May 29, 2022.
“His established linkages with international operatives in Canada, United States, and Pakistan warranted his relocation to disrupt the ecosystem facilitating continued criminal activity. He has been detained under PITNDPS Act [The Prevention Of Illicit Traffic In Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances Act],” the agency said.
Bhagwanpuria, who belongs to Gurdaspur (Punjab), has allegedly been involved in 128 cases, including those related to murders, extortions, illegal weapons, and 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, since 2012. “His criminal network facilitated the smuggling of heroin, opium, psychotropic substances, and illegal arms. He has repeatedly used mobile phones to orchestrate criminal activities from within Punjab’s high-security jails, as evidenced by multiple cases,” the agency said.
“Earlier, Akshay Chhabra and Jaspal Goldy — who continued their nefarious activities despite being behind bars, resulting in the lodging of three additional cases under the NDPS Act against Akshay Chhabra and one additional case under the NDPS Act against Jaspal Singh alias Goldy — were shifted from a Punjab jail to Dibrugarh Central Jail (Assam) after invoking PITNDPS Act,” an official said.
One Balwinder Singh aka Billa Havellian, who had been operating in Punjab since 1992 and allegedly has deep-rooted links with cross-border smuggling networks operating from Pakistan, was detained under the PITNDPS Act in Dibrugarh Central Jail (Assam) on August 13, 2024.
In another operation, a syndicate allegedly led by Jahanara Begum (who was on bail) and included Insan Laskar, Manuyara Bibi Seikh, and Arjun Manna (who were in prison), was found to be involved in repeated instances of trafficking heroin and ganja. They have been shifted from West Bengal to Jayprakash Narayan Central Jail, Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), based on a preventive detention order issued on September 5, 2024.
According to the NCB, these actions followed detailed intelligence inputs and sustained investigations that revealed the continued involvement of these notorious criminals in operating drug trafficking networks from inside jails.
“This decisive action underscores the government’s proactive and uncompromising approach to curbing organised drug crime in India. Earlier, as a result of a foolproof investigation with a bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom strategy, 29 drug traffickers were convicted by the court in 12 different cases across India. Under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the NCB is working relentlessly to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ by 2047,” the agency said.
