Himachal govt officer, woman resident among 6 arrested for chitta trade in Shimla

Shimla: In a significant crackdown on chitta (drugs) trafficking, the Shimla police have arrested six persons, including a government officer, involved in an interstate narcotic trade.

The suspects were apprehended during actions taken against five separate drug trafficking and gang-related cases in the district.

Among those arrested is Mukul Chauhan, a Tehsil Welfare Officer from Bharari in Shimla, who is accused of financial transactions linked to the trafficking syndicate’s bank accounts.

Part of drug cartel led by Sandeep Shah

Chauhan’s involvement was uncovered during the investigation of the notorious interstate drug cartel led by Sandeep Shah. Shah, a key figure in the chitta trafficking network, was also arrested earlier, along with 33 accomplices.

The police have also taken into custody Ankita Negi from Malyana in Shimla, a woman associate involved in the syndicate.
The operation also led to the arrest of Kuldeep Thakur, who was caught with Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and a significant quantity of chitta in Malyana.

woman resident among 6 arrested for chitta

Additionally, Neeraj Zilta, a close associate of the notorious ‘Shahi Mahatma’ drug lord, was arrested by the Rohru police.

11 kg of chitta seized across Himachal in 2024

In a separate development, Danish, a suspect involved in the trade, was arrested with 1.83 grams of chitta from Vikas Nagar. Following the arrest of Chauhan and Negi, both were presented in court, where they were sent to police remand until February 20 for further investigation.

The police have uncovered substantial evidence linking these arrests to Shah’s interstate chitta trafficking operations, including financial transactions across multiple bank accounts.
The investigation is ongoing, with the authorities looking to determine whether the arrested officials and individuals are drug addicts themselves or active participants in the trafficking operations.

In total, the police have seized over 11 kg of chitta across Himachal Pradesh in 2024 alone, disrupting several interstate drug trafficking gangs, including the ‘Shahi Mahatma’ and ‘Ranjan’ gangs. The Shimla police have already seized 1.67 kg of chitta in January 2025.

TNR