Police in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh freeze drug smuggler’s assets valued at Rs 2.82 crore

Jaipur, Aug 29 (IANS) The Rajasthan Police have taken major action under ‘Operation Trinetra’ against assets allegedly acquired through drug trafficking, police said on Saturday.

Police have frozen movable and immovable properties worth around Rs 2.82 crore belonging to history-sheeter and alleged hardcore criminal Ajab Khan of Devaldi village, under Arnod police station.

Police said that 14 criminal cases, including charges related to attempted murder, drug trafficking and illegal weapons, are registered against Khan in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

The action was taken under Section 68F(1) of the NDPS Act following directions from Rajasthan Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar Sharma.

Under the direction of Pratapgarh Superintendent of Police (SP) Vishal Jangid and supervision of Additional SP Jaydev Siyag, Arnod police prepared a proposal for freezing the alleged illegal assets.

The documents were submitted to the competent authority and administrator under SAFEMA and the NDPS Act in New Delhi.

Following the hearing, the competent authority approved the freezing order on August 28, 2026, and made it permanent.

According to the police, Khan was allegedly involved in a case involving 796 kg of illegal doda chura (refers to a narcotic substance poppy straw or poppy husk).

On June 16, 2020, Lohawat police in Phalodi district recovered 796 kg of the substance from a truck.

During the investigation, the arrested truck driver allegedly told police that the consignment had been loaded by Ajab Khan, son of Amirgul Khan and a resident of Devaldi under Arnod police station.

The Phalodi Superintendent of Police had announced a Rs 25,000 reward for information leading to Khan’s arrest.

After remaining absconding for nearly six years, Khan was arrested by Arnod police on March 28, 2026, and subsequently handed over to Lohawat police. He is currently in judicial custody at the Jaisalmer District Jail.

Police records describe Khan as a history-sheeter and alleged hardcore criminal of Arnod police station.

A total of 14 cases are registered against him in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh under various provisions, including the NDPS Act, attempted murder, assault, drug trafficking, Arms Act, SC/ST Act, gambling and obstruction of government officials.

According to the police investigation, Khan allegedly acquired movable and immovable assets over the past six years using proceeds from drug trafficking.

Police said several properties were registered not in Khan’s name or the names of his immediate family members, but in the names of distant relatives and acquaintances.

Investigators allege that although the properties were formally registered in other names, they were being used and controlled by Khan and his family.

The frozen immovable assets in Devaldi village include a farmhouse, garage, buffalo farm, residential house, poultry farm, goat farm and a tin shed constructed on around four bighas of land.

Police have estimated their current market value at around Rs 2.50 crore.

The investigation also identified several vehicles allegedly purchased in the names of relatives and acquaintances. These include a Thar jeep and Maruti Swift car, a motorcycle, a Mahindra tractor, a Splendor Plus Xtec, two other motorcycles and a TVS Apache.

Taking into account the estimated current market value of the vehicles and immovable properties, police have assessed the total value of the frozen assets at around Rs 2,82,80,000.

Police said their investigation found that one parcel of land on which a farmhouse and houses were constructed was registered in the name of Gulor Khan, son of Afzal Khan, although investigators allege that Ajab Khan had purchased and was using the property.

Similarly, another parcel of land was reportedly registered in the names of other individuals but was allegedly under Khan’s possession.

Police suspect that registering the assets in the names of relatives and acquaintances was intended to keep them beyond the immediate reach of legal action.

Police said the proposal to freeze Khan’s alleged illegal assets was submitted to the competent authority on July 30, 2026, following financial verification and examination of relevant documents.

After the hearing process was completed, the competent authority approved the freezing order on August 28 and made it permanent.

Pratapgarh Police said the action is part of its ongoing efforts under ‘Operation Trinetra’ to identify and target assets allegedly generated through drug trafficking and other organised criminal activities.

–IANS

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