Narco-trafficking Kingpin Navpreet Singh Deported from Türkiye to India
Amit Shah says agencies secured return of alleged narco-trafficking kingpin; government cites wider fugitive-tracking efforts
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 3rd Oct: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said Indian agencies had secured the deportation of alleged narco-trafficking kingpin Navpreet Singh from Türkiye, describing the development as a significant achievement in the government’s efforts to pursue fugitives involved in organised crime.
According to Shah, Singh had obtained Turkish citizenship using the alleged fake identity of “Navab Virk” and continued to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine into India from Afghanistan. He has now been brought back to India and lodged in custody in connection with cases involving alleged drug trafficking and other offences.
Shah congratulated the agencies involved in tracing and securing Singh’s deportation and said the government remained committed to dismantling narco-trafficking networks. He also reiterated the government’s stated target of eliminating every narco-cartel before December 2029.
The government said that, between 2019 and August 2026, a total of 288 fugitives from 36 countries had been brought back to India.
The government has described the pursuit of fugitive offenders as a national priority, with the Home Ministry highlighting international cooperation, coordination among law-enforcement agencies and diplomatic engagement as key elements of its strategy.
The NIA and UAPA amendments enacted in 2019 expanded the scope of action against individuals and networks linked to terrorism and related activities, while efforts to trace and bring back fugitives have subsequently been pursued in a coordinated manner.
In January 2025, Shah launched BHARATPOL, a platform intended to strengthen information-sharing between the Central Bureau of Investigation, State Police Headquarters and District Police Headquarters through Interpol Liaison Officers. According to the government, more than 1,400 units of central and state agencies have been connected through the platform.
The government said the system has reduced the time taken for information-sharing in several cases, with responses generally provided within 10 to 20 days and, in some instances, within three to 10 days.
The government has also highlighted enforcement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stating that assets worth ₹17,874 crore belonging to fugitive criminals were attached between 2019 and 2026.
It further said 401 Red Corner Notices had been issued against fugitive criminals over the past three years, including 182 issued up to July 2026.
The deportation of Singh is part of these broader efforts to pursue alleged offenders operating from outside India and strengthen cooperation with international law-enforcement agencies.
