In a major breakthrough in the fight against international drug syndicates, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has secured the extradition of wanted fugitive Virendra Singh Basuya @ Veeru @ Basuya, a resident of Palangi, Sarojini Nagar, Delhi, back to India. He was taken into custody on his arrival at IGI Airport in New Delhi early this morning.

Basuya was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in June 2026, as per an Interpol Red Notice issued at the request of the NCB. His return to India was secured by Indian agencies through constant coordination with the UAE authorities.

In a post on the X platform, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “The Modi government is tracking down drug smugglers hiding abroad and ruthlessly destroying their entire ecosystem. Setting a new milestone in the zero tolerance policy against drugs, the NCB has ensured the return of fugitive drug convict Singh. From top to bottom and bottom to top, our agencies have once again proven that drug smugglers, no matter where they hide, cannot escape the long arm of Indian law.
About the case
The case began in Pune in February 2024, when the Pune City Police seized 500 grams of mephedrone. Thereafter, adopting a top-down and bottom-up approach, the investigation was expanded to identify and dismantle the entire drug smuggling network. Subsequent investigations and follow-up operations led to the seizure of about 867 kg of mephedrone from Pune and 970 kg from Delhi. Mephedrone was recovered, taking the total seizure to about 1,837 kg of mephedrone. The case was then transferred to the Mumbai Zonal Unit of the NCB for further investigation.
The investigation identified Basuya as a key overseas operative and alleged conspirator who coordinated the syndicate’s activities from abroad and facilitated the export of mephedrone consignments from India to other countries. A large consignment of about 970 kg of mephedrone, which was recovered in Delhi, was allegedly linked to preparations for export through courier channels connected to it. His role emerged as a key link connecting the domestic manufacturing and smuggling network with overseas distribution channels.
Basuya is also involved in a separate case of the Delhi Police Special Cell related to international cocaine smuggling. In October 2024, the Delhi Police Special Cell busted a major drug trafficking cartel, resulting in Multiple seizures were made from warehouses and other premises in Delhi, Hapur and Ghaziabad, as well as a factory in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. The coordinated operations led to the recovery of over 1,300 kg of cocaine, mephedrone and hydroponic weed. Investigations into the cartel revealed that Basoya was allegedly involved in the procurement, transportation, storage and distribution of cocaine and other drugs.
Basoya’s return is part of the NCB’s ongoing efforts under Operation GLOBAL-HUNT, which aims to identify, track and pursue major drug traffickers and fugitives operating from overseas jurisdictions. The initiative leverages international cooperation mechanisms, including Interpol Red Notices, and strengthens operational coordination with Indian and foreign law enforcement agencies. The initiative follows the earlier successful return of other wanted drug traffickers, including Mohammad Salim Dola from Turkey and Naveen Chechkar from Malaysia. Bringing fugitives back to India to face the legal consequences of their crimes is a further step in the vision document for Drug Control (2026–2029), unveiled by the Hon’ble Union Home Minister. As part of this roadmap, continuous efforts are being made to identify, track down and bring back other major drug traffickers in collaboration with other international agencies abroad.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the NCB is firmly committed to the Government of India’s zero tolerance policy against drug trafficking.

Nanded (Maharashtra), Aug 14: A day after Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked by a man dressed as a Nihang in Maharashtra’s Nanded, he alleged that the “mission” of the attack was to “disturb peace in Punjab”, which he would “never allow”.

“Their mission is to take control of the situation in Punjab and disturb peace, which, as President of Akali Dal, I will never allow,” the SAD chief told reporters after his discharge from a hospital following a surgery on his right hand, which was injured in the attack.

The former Punjab President added: “Neither my father allowed it. Both times, they attacked me in the holiest places — first in the Golden Temple, and second at Takht Hazur Sahib.”

In 2024, an attempt to assassinate Badal was made while he was serving his penance at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Badal further said: “I have always said that no one can harm those who are protected by the almighty…I thank Guru Gobind Singh ji on whose land I had arrived. The enemies of the country and of Punjab tried (to attack me), but I have been saved by Guru Gobind Singh ji.”

“I am not afraid, neither have I ever been so. I only want to state that Shiromani Akali Dal can make all kinds of sacrifice, but we are committed to communal harmony and brotherhood in Punjab,” he asserted.

The person who attacked the Akali Dal chief with a Kirpan at Mata Sahib Gurdwara premises in the Hazur Sahib area of Nanded was taken into custody soon after the incident.

Visuals showed Sukhbir Singh Badal walking inside a hospital building with a cloth wrapped around his right hand.

Several political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, had called the SAD chief’s wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal to enquire about his health, following the attack on him.

Meanwhile, SAD Vice President and Member of Punjab Core Committee Sanjeev Talwar on Thursday referred to the attack on Badal as “direct attack on Sikhism”.

“Sukhbir Singh Badal wants to again raise the slogan of Hindu-Sikh unity in Punjab. I feel this could be a conspiracy by those who want to take Punjab back to 1984,” Talwar told media.

SAD’s chief spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler had also blamed “anti-Sikh forces” for repeated attempts to attack the party chief.

Mumbai, Aug 14: In a major push towards leveraging information technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver fast, seamless, and transparent public services, the Maharashtra state government will issue an integrated digital identification number called the ‘Maha-ID’ to every citizen. This will not be an entirely separate identity document, but an integrated identifier linked directly to the individual’s Aadhaar card.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed all government departments to harness AI and IT solutions to ensure citizens can access public services directly from their homes. The Maha-ID serves as a central component of this digital governance initiative.

By providing just their Maha-ID, residents will be able to access schemes, information, subsidies, and services across various state departments. Since government databases already hold key records — such as domicile certificates, income certificates, and ration card details — citizens will no longer need to resubmit physical documents for every application. The initiative is expected to be outlined by the Chief Minister around Independence Day, with an official project launch following shortly after.

The unified system is set to directly benefit students, farmers, senior citizens, women entrepreneurs, and economically weaker sections. Currently, students applying for state scholarships must register separately on education portals. Farmers applying for subsidies are repeatedly required to submit identity, land, and bank details. Similarly, beneficiaries of social welfare schemes often have to resubmit certificates that are already present in other department records.

By eliminating the hassle of creating multiple accounts, remembering various usernames and passwords, and undergoing repeated identity verification, the initiative aims to drastically simplify citizen interactions with the state administration. Through the combined integration of the Maha-ID and the ‘Maha-Sarathi’ portal, various government departments and digital platforms will be interlinked, creating a highly interoperable digital governance network. As state departments synchronise their data, information required by one department can automatically be fetched from another, eliminating operational silos.

The government sources said, “The platform will be executed through the ‘Maha-Sarathi’ platform under the Electronics, Information Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Department. Citizens will register and submit the necessary details on the designated portal. A digital Maha-ID incorporating the citizen’s Aadhaar framework will be generated. Citizens can use this single ID to apply for various government services.”

Sources added that previously verified data will be reused automatically across eligible services, doing away with redundant document submissions.