Shimla: In a significant development in the major LSD trafficking racket busted in the Himachal Pradesh capital, police have arrested a hotel partner-owner from Kullu for allegedly deleting CCTV footage to destroy evidence of a drug deal conducted at his property.
Sanjeev Kumar, a resident of Bushona village in Bhuntar Tehsil, Kullu district, was arrested after a forensic examination of the hotel’s hard drive and DVR revealed that the CCTV footage had been deliberately deleted. Police said Kumar acted in collusion with other accused persons to suppress evidence.
The case was registered on March 10 at the New Shimla Police Station after officers arrested Sandeep Sharma, a resident of Moga in Punjab, and Priya Sharma, a woman from Sirmaur district. A total of 562 stamp-sized LSD strips, weighing 11.570 grams, were recovered from their possession. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth over ₹1 crore in the international market.
A case was registered against them under Sections 22 and 29 of the NDPS Act, along with Section 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
During the course of the investigation, police traced the supply chain and arrested Naviel Harrison, a resident of Calicut, Kerala, from Gurugram, Haryana, on March 13. Harrison is suspected to be the main supplier of the LSD consignment.
The probe took a dramatic turn when the involvement of four personnel from the Special Task Force (STF) came to light. Based on digital, technical, and physical evidence, all four were arrested on March 19, 2026, and later dismissed from service following departmental proceedings.
Further investigation revealed that the LSD consignment was procured by the accused from Naviel Harrison at a hotel in Kullu district. Acting on this lead, police seized the hard drive and DVR from the hotel premises and sent them for forensic analysis. The forensic report confirmed the deletion of crucial CCTV footage, leading to the arrest of hotel partner-owner Sanjeev Kumar.
Police officials said the arrests are part of a wider crackdown on the drug network operating in the state. Investigations are continuing to ascertain if more individuals were involved in the conspiracy to destroy evidence.
