Kathua Police Under SSP Saksena Delivers Major Blow to Drug Trade, Seizes Assets Worth ₹ 46.8 Lakh

Targeted Operations in Marheen, Chak Drab Khan, and Billawar Areas Result in Attachment of Properties Acquired Through Narcotics Trafficking

• In a concerted offensive against drug trafficking, Kathua Police, under the supervision of SSP Shobhit Saksena, IPS, attached properties valued at approximately ₹46.8 Lakh linked to known drug offenders within two days.
• An immovable property worth ₹13.92 Lakh belonging to PIT-NDPS detenue Asha Bibi was seized in Khanpur Marheen under Khasra No. 855 on April 19.
• Another immovable property worth ₹18.3 Lakh, identified under Khasra No. 45/10 and belonging to NDPS detenue Parveen Kumar, was attached in Chak Drab Khan on the same day (April 19).
• A movable asset (Scooty JK08M-4244) and an immovable property (double-storey building), totalling ₹14.58 Lakh and owned by alleged drug kingpin Rahul @ Rotu, were attached in the Ramkot area (PS Billawar) on April 20.

Kathua, April 21, 2025: Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to eradicating the drug menace, the Kathua Police, operating under the strategic direction of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shobhit Saksena, IPS, has executed a series of decisive actions targeting the financial foundations of narcotics trafficking. Over a span of just two days, specialized police teams successfully attached movable and immovable assets cumulatively valued at ₹46.8 Lakh, all determined to be proceeds from illicit drug activities.

The crackdown commenced on April 19, when a police team, acting under the provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act, attached an immovable property valued at ₹13.92 Lakh in the Khanpur Marheen area. This property, identified under Khasra No. 855, belonged to Asha Bibi, wife of Mohd Sadiq, a known PIT-NDPS detenue. The investigation, led by Station House Officer (SHO) Police Station (PS) Rajbagh, Inspector Ajay Singh, under the command of Additional SP Kathua, Sh. Rahul Charak, JKPS, and Deputy SP PC Kathua, Sh. Ashwani Sharma, concluded that the asset was acquired through illegal drug money. The seizure, executed under Section 68(E) and (F) of the NDPS Act 1985, was carried out in the presence of Tehsildar Marheen, Sh. Lekh Raj.

On the same day, April 19, another significant attachment took place in the Chak Drab Khan area. An immovable property worth ₹18.3 Lakh, registered under Khasra No. 45/10, was seized. This property belonged to Parveen Kumar, son of Prem Chand, an NDPS detenue. The investigation confirming the property as proceeds of narcotics was conducted by SHO PS Kathua, Inspector Sandeep Singh Chib, and Probationary Sub-Inspector (PSI) Ravinder Thakur, In-Charge (IC) Police Post (PP) Nagri. This operation was guided by Addl. SP Kathua Sh. Rahul Charak, JKPS, and DySP Headquarters Kathua, Sh. Ravinder Singh, and conducted in the presence of an Executive Magistrate, utilizing Sections 68(E) and (F) of the NDPS Act 1985.

The anti-narcotics drive continued relentlessly into April 20. A team from PS Billawar targeted Rahul @ Rotu, son of Balbir Singh, a resident of Ward No. 4, Ramkot, described as a drug kingpin currently in judicial custody. Police attached both movable and immovable assets belonging to him. The movable property was an Activa Scooty bearing registration number JK08M-4244, valued at approximately ₹80,000. The immovable asset was a double-storey building worth ₹13.78 Lakh. The combined value of seized assets in this operation reached ₹14.58 Lakh. Rahul @ Rotu is implicated in multiple NDPS cases registered at PS Billawar, including FIR No. 69/2023 (U/S 8/21/22/29 NDPS Act) and FIR No. 170/2024 (U/S 8/21/22 NDPS Act). This attachment, executed under Sections 68 A.2(c) & E read with 68-F of the NDPS Act, was spearheaded by SHO PS Billawar, Inspector Zaheer Mushtaq, assisted by IC PP Ramkot, Ranbheer Singh, and supervised by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Billawar, Sh. Neeraj Padyar, JKPS.

All these operations were conducted under the overarching supervision of SSP Kathua, Sh. Shobhit Saksena, IPS. Investigations in each case, aided by the transport and revenue departments where necessary, established prima facie evidence that the properties were acquired through illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

These stringent actions, aimed at dismantling the financial networks supporting the drug trade, have been widely praised by the local communities in Marheen, Chak Drab Khan, and Billawar. Residents hailed the proactive initiatives of the Kathua Police under SSP Saksena’s command, recognizing the attachments as a critical step in curbing the activities of drug peddlers who prey on the district.