Delhi Police freezes drug offender's assets worth Rs 30 lakh

New Delhi, Sep 8 (PTI) Delhi Police has frozen assets worth over Rs 30 lakh of a drug offender as part of intensified action against a narcotics trafficker, an official said on Monday.

The accused, Vijay Kumar, a resident of JJ Colony in Wazirpur, has been declared a 'bad character' by Bharat Nagar police station and is facing more than 11 criminal cases, including five under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.

The Operation Cell of the district identified three two-wheelers and one immovable property linked to Kumar's drug dealings. The assets, suspected to have been purchased from drug money, were valued at over Rs 30 lakh and have been frozen under Section 68-F(1) of the NDPS Act.

"The order for freezing (the assets) was sent to the competent authority in the Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue. During the probe, Kumar was asked to furnish proof showing that the assets were acquired through legitimate means, but he failed to justify the sources. Consequently, the authority approved the freezing of his assets," said the DCP.

Police said the action follows a case registered in February, when Kumar's son, Nitin Badhwan (22), was arrested with 365 grams of heroin and Rs 1.88 lakh in cash was recovered from his residence in Wazirpur.

During interrogation, Badhwan confessed he was working on the instructions of his father. Kumar was subsequently arrested in May, they said.

Police said Kumar has been active in the illegal drug trade for the last seven years and is considered a repeat offender. His son, who studied only till class 8, joined him about three years ago.

They said the purpose of freezing and seizing such assets is to dismantle the financial infrastructure of drug cartels and prevent offenders from enjoying the proceeds of crime. PTI BM DIV DIV