Chandigarh, March 24 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said on Tuesday that it has secured a one-year preventive detention of Sandeep Singh alias Chatha, a known criminal involved in multiple drug trafficking-related criminal activities.
Chatha, a resident of Rasulpur Rohi in Amritsar, Punjab, is facing seven criminal cases, including three under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Despite repeated arrests, he continued to operate and expand his drug trafficking network, including cross-border operations, thereby playing a significant role in the illicit narcotics trade, the NCB said in a statement.
In 2022, the NCB Chandigarh Zonal Unit arrested Chatha, dismantled two illicit laboratories, and seized multiple narcotic substances, including 40 kg of heroin, 0.557 kg of opium, and 23.645 kg of caffeine.
In addition, 31 live cartridges and one magazine were recovered. The operation also led to the arrest of 22 members of the drug syndicate involved in the case.
During the financial investigation of the case, the NCB Chandigarh Zonal Unit froze movable and immovable assets worth Rs 58.6 crore, including illegally acquired properties worth Rs 34.77 lakh belonging to Chatha.
Further investigation revealed that Chatha was allegedly a key operative responsible for handling several high-volume heroin consignments across multiple states.
His nexus with Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, a notorious criminal involved in the supply of weapons and narcotics from Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab, Delhi, and Haryana, also surfaced during the investigation, the NCB said.
To ensure stringent preventive action against the drug trafficker, the NCB strongly pursued a proposal for his preventive detention under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act, 1988, in September 2025.
Following approval by the central government and the issuance of the detention order, Chatha was successfully detained and served with the detention order on January 7.
Subsequently, according to the prescribed procedure, the matter was placed before the Central Advisory Board (PITNDPS), New Delhi, which heard the case on March 16.
After examining the case records, the Board concluded that there was sufficient cause for the continued detention of Chatha.
Based on the opinion of the Central Advisory Board, the central government, on March 24, confirmed the detention order and directed the continued detention of Chatha for a period of one year.