27-year-old held in Delhi-Assam psychotropic drug network

The Delhi Police, in coordination with Assam Police, apprehended a 27-year-old man from the Narela area for allegedly supplying psychotropic tablets to an interstate narcotics network with suspected links to the banned ULFA(I).

The accused, Apurba Thakur, was wanted in connection with a case registered at Mathurapur police station in Assam’s Charaideo district under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), police said.

The case dates back to July 17, when Assam Police intercepted a car on Dhodor Ali Road in Majgaon and allegedly recovered 46.11 grams of heroin concealed in soap boxes inside a hidden compartment of the vehicle. The occupant, identified as Manuj Gogoi of Dibrugarh, was arrested and a case was registered in this connection, police said.

During investigation, Gogoi allegedly disclosed the involvement of Bhaskar Gogoi, who was subsequently arrested. Examination of Bhaskar’s mobile phone allegedly revealed VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) communications with one Debasish Dahutia and a person suspected to be a cadre of United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) — a proscribed armed separatist group.

Debasish Dahutia was later apprehended along with Bitu Hazarika, while the suspected ULFA(I) cadre was identified as Mridupawan Dahutia, who allegedly joined the outfit in 2011, police said.

Investigation subsequently led to the suspected interstate supply chain of psychotropic tablets, with Thakur emerging as a Delhi-based source for the network operating in Assam.

According to police, examination of digital evidence indicated that a consignment of psychotropic tablets had allegedly been dispatched from Delhi towards Assam. However, after Bhaskar Gogoi’s arrest, information about the police action was allegedly conveyed to Mridupawan Dahutia, following which the movement of the consignment was halted. On August 25, Assam Police sought assistance from Delhi Police’s Crime Branch to trace Thakur.

The accused was traced to the Narela area, apprehended and handed over to an Assam Police team. He was subsequently arrested by Assam Police after completing legal formalities and produced before a Delhi court, which granted four days’ transit remand to take him to Assam for further investigation. Through interrogation and examination of Thakur’s digital devices, police allegedly found communications between him and Mridupawan Dahutia dating back to 2025. An invoice related to a consignment of psychotropic tablets was also allegedly recovered from his mobile phone.

The financial trail is also being examined. Police said an online transaction involving several lakhs between Thakur and Boby Gogoi —wife of accused Bhaskar Gogoi — has been detected. The purpose and nature of the transaction are being investigated.

Police said digital communications, invoice and financial transaction prima facie indicate Thakur’s suspected role in the procurement and supply of psychotropic substances from Delhi to Assam.

Further investigation is underway to trace the complete supply chain of the psychotropic tablets, identify other suppliers, intermediaries and intended recipients, and examine the digital and financial trails.

Investigators are also probing a possible “narco-terror” link to ascertain whether proceeds from narcotics trafficking were being channelled towards financing unlawful or terrorist activities, officials said.

Thakur had come to Delhi in 2016 after completing his education up to Class 10. He started working as a medical representative in 2022 and later began trading medicines independently on a commission basis, police said.

Police are also probing Thakur’s alleged association with the suspected ULFA(I) cadre and other members of the network.