New Delhi, Oct 3: A Delhi court on Saturday remanded alleged international narcotics trafficking accused Navpreet Singh to 10 days of police custody after he was deported from Turkey and brought back to India in connection with a major drug trafficking case.

Singh was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi following his deportation from Turkey, where he was allegedly living under the identity of Navab Virk.

Seeking his custodial remand, the police said that his questioning was required as part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged international narcotics trafficking network and to ascertain the role of other accused and the wider network.

However, the defence opposed the police remand plea, saying that there was no need for further custodial interrogation.

Advocate Asgar Khan, appearing for Singh, told the court that the police had already recorded his statement while he was in custody and that further investigation could proceed on the basis of the statement.

“We presented our arguments against the police remand before the court, but the court granted it,” Khan told media.

Navpreet Singh has been accused by investigating agencies of being linked to an international drug trafficking network allegedly operating between Afghanistan, India and Turkey.

According to the investigation, Singh was allegedly operating as a key handler of the network from Turkey and was accused of facilitating the trafficking of heroin and methamphetamine from Afghanistan to India.

His name had also surfaced in connection with a major narcotics case that came to light in Delhi in 2021, in which investigators recorded the recovery of around 355.5 kg of heroin from the accused persons.

Investigating agencies have claimed that Singh used the identity “Navab Virk” and obtained Turkish citizenship under the assumed identity while continuing to operate the alleged narcotics network.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday described Singh’s deportation from Turkey as a “historic milestone” for the Narendra Modi-led Union government.

In a post on social media platform X, Home Minister Shah said that Singh had obtained Turkish citizenship under the alleged fake identity of Navab Virk and continued to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine to India from Afghanistan.

“Our agencies tracked him down, ripping apart veil after veil to unmask his true identity, and secured his deportation. Today he has been brought back to India and put behind bars in connection with cases involving drug trafficking and other crimes he is accused of. Congratulations to all the agencies for this success,” the Union Minister added.

Union Minister Shah also said that the Central government was committed to destroying every narco-cartel before December 2029.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said Singh’s deportation was part of the Centre’s efforts to bring back fugitives involved in serious criminal cases.

The development comes months after suspected drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola was brought back to India from Turkey.

Earlier, fugitive Prabhdeep Singh was also brought back from Azerbaijan in connection with a major narcotics case involving the recovery of a large quantity of heroin.

The investigation against Navpreet Singh and other accused is underway.

Abu Dhabi, Oct 3: Captain Smit Machchhar, the brave Indian pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, is responding well to treatment and continues to receive medical attention, the Indian Embassy in the UAE said on Saturday.

The mission said it was coordinating with his family and local authorities. It also thanked the UAE government for the care being extended to him.

“Indian braveheart Capt. Smit remains under excellent medical care & is recovering well. We are in touch with his family & local authorities, extending support for a speedy recovery. Our thanks to UAE gov. for their care. We join well-wishers in praying for his good health,” the Indian mission posted on X.

Captain Machchhar was injured while preventing a mid-air attack on Wednesday aboard the flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel.

During the incident, another pilot stabbed Captain Machchhar and the aircraft began to plummet.

The Indian pilot fought the assailant bravely and opened the cockpit door, following which passengers rushed to assist, entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker.

Once the attacker was subdued, the seriously wounded Indian pilot was stabilised until the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke with Captain Machchhar over a video call, praising his courage, presence of mind and composure during the mid-air incident in which he helped save the lives of passengers and crew members.

During the conversation, PM Modi said the country could proudly say that Indians are not those who take lives, but those who are willing to risk their own lives to save others.

PM Modi began the conversation by asking about Captain Machchhar’s health and said the entire country was praying for his speedy recovery.

“The whole country is praying for you. Maha Mrityunjaya Jaap is being performed for you and your health. Your courage, presence of mind and composure saved many lives. The country can proudly say that Indians are not those who take lives, but those who are willing to risk their lives to save others,” PM Modi said.

Captain Machchhar nodded and responded, “Yes, sir.”

The Indian pilot has also received recognition from across the world, with leaders and people lauding his bravery and actions that helped save hundreds of lives during the mid-air attack.

New Delhi, Oct 3: The Rs 3,000-crore drug bust off the Lakshadweep Islands early this week has dealt a major blow to the Haji Salim network, but the bigger challenge for the alleged Inter Services Intelligence-backed syndicate is the shrinking availability of viable maritime routes into India.

Intensified coastal surveillance and heightened security have made traditional landing points increasingly difficult to use, forcing the network to shift routes, take greater risks, and search for new entry points for moving large consignments of narcotics.

Five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel were arrested, and 400 kg of methamphetamine and 126 kg of high-grade drugs worth over Rs 3,000 crore were seized during the operation by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad.

An official said that the investigations show that the consignment was intended to land in Tamil Nadu, following which it was to be smuggled into international markets.

“Haji Salim, a Dawood Ibrahim aide, is in charge of narcotic smuggling into the southern states. From there it is taken to Sri Lanka and to countries such as Thailand,” the official said.

For the Haji Salim, the seizure of such a massive consignment is no doubt a setback, but the bigger worry for the syndicate is that it is running out of routes.

“Earlier, Gujarat was the most preferred route for the Haji Salim network. However, in recent times there have been multiple busts on this route, and the network has incurred massive losses following heightened security,” the official said.

The surveillance has increased manifold along the Gujarat route, and smuggling has become extremely difficult for the gang. This has forced the Haji Salim network to send the consignment of drugs using alternate routes.

Since the network shifted south, the Iranian dhow that was carrying the consignment had to be tracked and intercepted 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep.

Another official said the Haji Salim network now faces a fresh challenge as the new route has also come under the radar of coastal agencies.

“The network may have spent months planning the alternate route to bypass Gujarat. However, following the latest joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Gujarat ATS, the Salim gang is likely to start looking for another route,” the official said.

The officials say that very soon, the ISI-backed Salim syndicate will run out of routes.

Earlier, the most preferred route prior to Gujarat was Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. However, there were multiple successive actions carried out by the agencies, which led to several consignments being busted.

“Currently the surveillance at this seaport is at an all-time high and smuggling narcotics is next to impossible here,” the official said.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that Haji Salim managed to find new landing points at Kasargod and Malappuram, in north Kerala

“These locations have relatively low levels of coastal surveillance, making them ideal landing points for the network. However, it is only a matter of time before surveillance is stepped up in these areas,” the official said.

The officials say that although the Indian agencies have shut down several routes and conducted successive operations, they cannot become complacent. There is a lot at stake here, and both the ISI and the Haji Salim network are in need of funds. With so many of their contingents being busted in recent times, the losses that they have incurred is huge.

Further, Haji Salim is also under immense pressure from his international buyers to deliver narcotics in huge quantities.

If busts such as these continue to take place, then the international buyers would start looking for other avenues and this would cause a major dent for the Haji Salim network, officials say.

For the ISI too, such busts represent a major setback.

Officials said that under arrangements allegedly struck by the ISI with narcotics operators such as Dawood Ibrahim and Haji Salim, the drug cartels are required to hand over 40 percent of their proceeds from the narcotics trade. In return, the ISI is alleged to provide protection to the networks.

Officials said the money is largely used to finance terror activities in India.

The fact is that the Haji Salim network is running out of routes in India to move its consignments. While Salim plans newer routes, he also has to deal with the pressure from international buyers who are likely to pursue other avenues if this network does not get its act together, another official said.