Fugitive Convicted In Narcotics Case Arrested From Indo-Bangla Border: Delhi Police

Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested a fugitive convicted in a narcotics case from the Indo-Bangladesh border, officials said on Sunday.

Jafar Ali (45), who hails from a village in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, was trying to cross the border to evade arrest, they added.

Ali was convicted in a case lodged by the Crime Branch under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the officials said.

A Crime Branch team apprehended Ali and his associates with 142 kg of weed (marijuana) from north Delhi's Burari in 2010. Subsequently, the NDPS case was lodged and a court sentenced Ali to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment, police said.

In 2020, Ali was granted emergency parole, which was extended from time to time till February 27, 2021 and even after the expiry of his extended parole, he did not surrender and was absconding, according to police officials.

Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Ravindra Singh Yadav said acting on information, the Crime Branch team went to Sahebganj in Cooch Behar's Dinhata to arrest Ali. Sensing police presence, the fugitive fled his native place with a plan to cross the Indo-Bangladesh border, but was arrested from Kusherhat, Dinhata, about 500 metres from the border.

Ali used to work as a labourer in 2009. Not satisfied with his earnings, he hatched a plan to get weed from his locality in West Bengal, where it is cultivated, and sell it in Delhi, the officer said.