Former Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Sunil Jakhar on Monday, 19 October met the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) in Chandigarh, demanding firm action against drug traffickers and an end to what he alleged was official protection extended to those running the drug trade in the state. Jakhar was accompanied by Amandeep Kaur, sister of Lovepreet Singh, who was found dead in Abohar on 14 September, along with other family members seeking justice in the case.

The Lovepreet Singh Case

Amandeep Kaur alleged that drug traffickers murdered her brother on 14 September and dumped his body in bushes. The family claimed they submitted complaints to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and the Punjab DGP via email and speed post on 19 September, but no action followed. During the press conference, the family stated they had received no justice in the weeks since Lovepreet's death.

Jakhar said Amandeep Kaur had independently gathered CCTV footage related to the case and handed it over to the Punjab DGP on a pen drive during Monday's meeting. He further alleged that police had reportedly intimidated individuals from whom the footage was collected and had it deleted, rather than preserving it as evidence.

Jakhar's Demands and Ultimatum

Jakhar warned that if appropriate action was not taken within five to seven days, the matter would be escalated to court. He demanded that all available digital evidence be preserved and that the investigation — including forensic examination — be conducted strictly in accordance with due legal process, so that no crucial evidence was compromised and the full truth behind Lovepreet's death could emerge.

The family also alleged that drugs were being sold openly in the area, that those selling them were issuing threats to local residents, and that even minors had reportedly been drawn into drug distribution in the locality.

Questions Over Anti-Drug Accountability

Jakhar challenged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's anti-drug record, citing the Punjab DGP's own announcement on 28 April 2025 about holding the Station House Officer (SHO) of the concerned police station accountable in cases involving drug recoveries. 'If accountability had been fixed to prevent drug trafficking, where are the results?' he asked.

He also pointed to the pregabalin ban orders issued by district magistrates, alleging that no official had subsequently visited pharmacies to verify compliance. He claimed the government had confined itself to issuing orders on paper rather than enforcing them on the ground, adding that Parwinder Singh Jhona would reportedly still be alive had authorities acted in time to curb pharmaceutical drug misuse.

Anti-Drone System Under Scrutiny

Jakhar also questioned the effectiveness of the state's anti-drone system, called 'Baaz Akh', reportedly installed at a cost of approximately ₹52 crore. He pointed out that 25 kg of heroin had been seized from a constable deployed with the very system meant to intercept cross-border drug smuggling. He asked whether the constable had acted alone or whether senior officers or a political leader were also complicit.

Jakhar also took a sharp dig at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for visiting France to celebrate his birthday, saying the people of Punjab were 'keeping account of every moment' while the state grappled with a worsening drug crisis. The case is expected to intensify political pressure on the AAP government ahead of the court deadline Jakhar has set.