Guwahati, Nov 21: The office of the Competent Authority and Administrator for Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (SAFEMA) has frozen properties worth ₹1.33 crore belonging to drug peddler Rantu Sonowal following a financial probe under Section 68E of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
This action comes in connection with Sarupathar Police Station case No. 14/2024 under Sections 21(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act, in which Sonowal was arrested with 2.89 kg of heroin.
Rantu Sonowal, the primary receiver in a narcotics case, was apprehended in a joint operation by Golaghat Police and Tinsukia Police from Bordumsa in Tinsukia district on May 7, 2024. During the operation, authorities seized ₹17.84 lakh in cash and seven vehicles, in addition to 2.89 kg of heroin.
The case was registered under Sarupathar Police Station Case No. 14/2024, invoking Sections 21(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act.
Following the investigation, a chargesheet was submitted against Rantu Sonowal under the NDPS Act.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Sonowal was granted bail by the court, allowing him temporary release.
The frozen assets include fixed deposits held by Rantu Sonowal and his wife, Bibha Saikia, in various banks across Sarupathar and Tinsukia, including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), ICICI Bank, and Bandhan Bank.
The freezing order was issued after a detailed financial investigation under Section 68E of the NDPS Act, which allows for the seizure of properties believed to be acquired through proceeds from drug trafficking.
The probe revealed that the properties were acquired within six years prior to Sonowal’s arrest, suggesting they were funded by income derived from illicit narcotics activities.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Golaghat Police stated: “In the investigation of Sarupathar PS Case No. 14/2024 U/S 21(c)/29 NDPS Act), 2.89 kg Heroin was seized. The properties of the main receiver, Rantu Sonowal worth ₹1.33 Crore, have been frozen by the Competent Authority, Kolkata.”
The Competent Authority noted in its order: “The empowered officer, after carrying out a financial investigation under Section 68E of the NDPS Act, traced and identified the moveable and immoveable properties of the accused and satisfied the conditions that these were acquired within six years prior to the arrest date. The freezing order was passed on November 21.”
“The impugned properties have been possessed out of the income derived from illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs,” it added.
