ONE OF the two Nigerians, Alitumo, was admitted to Government Multi Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, on Thursday with illness and his associate, Ikechukwu Orji, was remanded in judicial custody. The Narcotics Control Bureau has also requested Chandigarh police to file a fresh FIR against both the Nigerians under Section 14 of the Foreigner Act as the two failed to produce their passports before NCB officials and their addresses at Uttam Nagar in Delhi were also found to be fake.

NCB Zonal Director Kaustubh Sharma said, “Investigation suggested that an elder brother of the accused Alitumo went to Nigeria on the basis of Alitumo’s passport two months back and handed over all his contacts, who used to receive heroin from him, to Alitumo. He has been complaining of illness since morning and we admitted him in the government hospital under police guard.”

Sources in the NCB said Orji claimed to have sold his passport to someone for Rs 20,000. Investigation revealed that Alitumo arrived in India from Nigeria five months back and his elder brother decided to hand over all his contacts to him. Sources said Alitumo’s elder brother was scared that his business of supplying heroin would be grabbed by his competitor in his absence and so, he called his younger brother from Nigeria.

NCB officials maintained that keeping in view the complaint of Alitumo’s illness, we have alerted Chandigarh police and sought their police personnel to guard the Nigerian at the hospital to prevent him from fleeing.

Alitumo and Orji were arrested and 536 gm heroin was recovered from them near the roundabout of Sector 29 on June 28. A Swift car, in which they were travelling, belonged to a constable of Delhi police.

During interrogation, the Nigerians said they were supposed to hand over the consignment of heroin to a Pinjore-based supplier in Chandigarh. Sources said the main handler of the Nigerians was an Indian based in Delhi and efforts were on to arrest him.

Alitumo and Orji were also the associates of another Nigerian, Eze Uchenna James, who was arrested on June 7 near Sector 17.

Source:- Indianexpress