New Delhi, Aug 14: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday hailed the return of alleged drug kingpin Virender Singh Basoya from the United Arab Emirates, calling it a major milestone in the government’s “zero tolerance” policy against narcotics.

In a post on X, Shah said the Narendra Modi government was relentlessly pursuing drug traffickers operating from abroad and dismantling their networks.

“Modi govt is relentlessly tracking down drug traffickers hiding abroad and destroying their entire ecosystem with a ruthless approach,” Shah said.

“Creating a new milestone in the policy of zero tolerance against narcotics, the NCB secured the return of fugitive drug kingpin Virender Singh Basoya from the UAE,” he added.

According to the initial background shared in connection with the case, Basoya was brought to India from Dubai on Air India flight number 4310 following efforts by Indian authorities.

Basoya is an accused in the Pune drug case involving narcotics allegedly worth Rs 6,000 crore. The Narcotics Control Bureau had issued a Red Corner Notice against him, and he was subsequently arrested in Dubai.

He was deported to India following an initiative by the Government of India, marking what authorities described as a significant success in the country’s ongoing crackdown on international drug trafficking networks.

Basoya is considered close to Sandeep Dhunia, who is described as the main accused in a Delhi Police drug case involving narcotics worth around Rs 13,000 crore.

Dhunia, according to the information provided, managed to travel from Dubai to Pakistan.

Shah said Indian agencies had tracked Basoya by following the criminal network at multiple levels.

“By tracing the criminal through a top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top approach, our agencies have once again proven that no matter where drug traffickers hide, they cannot escape the long arm of Indian law,” the Home Minister said.

The development is being seen as a major success for the NCB and other agencies involved in pursuing fugitives accused of operating large-scale narcotics networks from overseas.

The government has repeatedly maintained that its anti-drug strategy focuses not only on individual traffickers but also on dismantling the wider financial, logistical and criminal ecosystem supporting narcotics syndicates.

New Delhi, Aug 14: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested another accused in connection with the targeted killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vikas Prabhakar in Punjab’s Nangal town.

The accused, identified as Manveer Ram alias Ashu, was intercepted by immigration authorities at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Thursday based on a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the NIA. He was subsequently taken into custody by the agency and is expected to be produced before the Special NIA Court for further legal proceedings.

The case, registered as RC-06/2024/NIA/DLI, pertains to the murder of Vikas Prabhakar, a local VHP leader who was shot dead in April 2024. The NIA assumed charge of the investigation on May 9, 2024, and has since filed a chargesheet along with two supplementary chargesheets.

According to the agency, investigations have revealed that the conspiracy to assassinate Prabhakar was orchestrated by Germany-based operatives of the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). The key conspirators have been identified as Harjit Singh alias Laddi and Kulbeer Singh alias Sidhu.

The NIA said Manveer Ram played an important role in the conspiracy by arranging firearms intended for use in the killing. Operating from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he acted as a key intermediary between the foreign-based handlers and individuals involved in procuring weapons and coordinating activities in India.

Investigators have found that his role extended to facilitating communication between the overseas conspirators and their associates in India, thereby helping to execute the planned attack.

The agency is continuing its probe into the broader conspiracy and is examining the involvement of other individuals linked to the case.

Earlier in 2024, a 22-year-old arms supplier, Dharminder Kumar, was arrested by a joint team of the Delhi Police Special Cell and the NIA in connection with the murder. A resident of Ludhiana, Kumar was allegedly involved in arranging weapons for the accused.

During questioning, Kumar reportedly disclosed that after being released from jail in April 2024, he came into contact through social media with an individual based in a Middle Eastern country who instructed him to procure firearms.

Vikas Prabhakar, the president of the VHP’s Nangal unit, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at his confectionery shop in Punjab’s Nangal town on April 13, 2024.

Bengaluru : Karnataka Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan has sought exemption from hoisting the national flag at the Independence Day celebrations in Vijayanagara district on August 15, citing his inability to attend the programme, triggering criticism from the Opposition BJP on Friday. The BJP has urged the Chief Minister to dismiss him from the cabinet for ignoring a sacred duty such as hoisting the Tricolour.

Zameer, in a letter to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, said he had been assigned the responsibility of hoisting the national flag in Vijayanagara district in North Karnataka on the occasion of Independence Day. However, he said the upcoming Bengaluru civic polls, other local body elections, Assembly bypolls and party organisational responsibilities had left him with limited time.

He also requested the Chief Minister not to assign him the responsibility of District In-charge Minister for Vijayanagara or any other district.

“In the state, in the coming days, including Bengaluru civic polls, various local body elections, bypolls of Assembly segments and also in view of organisation of the party, there is shortage of time to take on the responsibility of district in-charge minister of Vijayanagara district,” Zameer said in the letter.

He further said that he had been assigned the responsibility of hoisting the national flag on August 15 but was unable to attend the programme and therefore sought exemption from the duty.

Zameer also referred to the drought situation in Vijayanagara district, stating that he had already submitted the report assigned to him in this regard.

The request comes just two days after portfolios were allocated to ministers in the Karnataka government following the recent Cabinet expansion.

Reacting sharply to the development, senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka accused the Congress government of putting party politics ahead of national interests.

“Congress shamelessly puts party politics above the nation,” Ashoka said in a statement on Friday.

He alleged that Zameer’s decision to seek exemption from hoisting the Tricolour showed “total disrespect” for the country and criticised the minister for citing election-related and party organisational responsibilities as the reason for being unable to attend the Independence Day programme.

Ashoka said hoisting the national flag on Independence Day was a “sacred duty” and accused Zameer and the Congress government of giving greater importance to electoral calculations and party activities.

He also demanded that CM Shivakumar dismiss Zameer from the Cabinet, alleging that the minister’s decision had brought “shame” upon the state and disrespected the national flag.

The BJP leader further targeted the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, and demanded an apology over the issue.

The controversy comes as Karnataka gears up for Independence Day celebrations across the state on August 15.