Expressing serious concern over the investigation into an alleged international heroin smuggling network operating from inside the Central Jail, Goindwal Sahib, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has described as “shocking” the fact that not even a single jail official had been arrayed as an accused despite their apparent involvement.Justice N S Shekhawat also directed Special Task Force AIG to personally examine the investigation file before furnishing an affidavit disclosing the names of jail officials questioned or interrogated during the probe, besides explaining why none had been made an accused.Justice Shekhawat was hearing a bail application filed against the State of Punjab by an accused through counsel Vipul Jindal. The directions came after an additional affidavit of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Anti-Narcotics Task Force, Border Range, Amritsar, was filed on behalf of the State in compliance with the court’s earlier orders.Perusing the affidavit, Justice Shekhawat noted that the petitioner was confined in Goindwal Sahib Jail at the time of the alleged commission of the offence. According to the status report, on November 6, 2024, a secret informer told the police that the petitioner was in contact with his associates and was also talking to a Pakistani smuggler by using mobile phone from inside the jail, while being involved in large-scale heroin smuggling. As per the information received, five kilograms of heroin was to be delivered through a drone at Rajatal village, where it was to be received by two unknown associates of the petitioner.Justice Shekhawat noted that the two unknown drug smugglers fled by taking advantage of the darkness when the police party reached the disclosed location and could not be apprehended, while 550 grams of heroin wrapped in a wax envelope was recovered during the search.The status report further stated that on November 8, 2024, the petitioner allegedly suffered a disclosure statement to the effect that a person contacted him through a WhatsApp call on his mobile phone and asked him to speak to a Pakistani smuggler regarding sending a heroin consignment through a drone. It was further alleged that the petitioner contacted the Pakistani smuggler on his WhatsApp number and instructed him to deliver five kilograms of heroin through a drone at the location to be provided. Ultimately, the heroin sent through drones was seized by the police.Justice Shekhawat was also told the search of the barrack occupied by the petitioner led to the recovery of two mobile phones.The investigation further revealed that one of the mobile phones was used within the premises of Central Jail, Goindwal Sahib, from August 11, 2024, to November 8, 2024. It was also found that WhatsApp calls had been made from the phone to Lahore.Recording the significance of the material placed before it, Justice Shekhawat observed, “From the status report filed by the State of Punjab, it stands established that a large scale international network of smuggling was being run from the premises of the jail situated at Goindwal Sahib and this fact was also in the knowledge of the Investigating Officer of the present case.”Expressing its displeasure over the investigation, observing, “However, shockingly, today the Court has been informed that not even a single jail official has been arrayed as an accused in the present case, even though the involvement of the jail officials is apparently there.”Consequently, Justice Shekhawat directed: “The AIG, STF, is directed to read the file of the IO personally and to file his personal affidavit mentioning the names of the jail officials, who were questioned/interrogated during the course of investigation.” The officer was also directed to mention the reasons for not arraying any jail official in the case.