STF Arrests Absconding Ganja Peddler In Kandhamal
Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force with the assistance of Kandhamal Police arrested the absconding ganja peddler in Kandhamal district on Sunday.
The accused has been identified as Soumya Ranjan Digal (25) of Sian Sramik Basti, BDA Chandrasekharpur under Maytri Vihar police station, Bhubaneswar.
Acting on a tip-off, the STF team along with the Kandhamal police conducted a raid at Tikabali and apprehended the absconding peddler.
In this case, on 11.04.2024, 52 kg of ganja along with one Santro car was seized from the conscious possession of the accused person Bikash Digal (elder brother of the above-noted accused person) while both were carrying the contraband.
The above-noted accused person absconded from the spot. Earlier one accused person i.e. the younger brother of the accused person namely Bikram Digal was arrested from Bhubaneswar and forwarded to the court.
Though the seized quantity is less it was found that they are part of a big racket and have been involved in the illegal contraband business for the last 3 years. They belong to Kandhamal which is a major cultivation area of Cannabis (Ganja) and also a hotbed of Naxalism in Odisha. The accused persons used to collect contraband Ganja from Kandhamal and Boudh area.
They disclosed that they used to transport Ganja in good cars and not in big vehicles/ trucks as cars are less suspected by law enforcement agencies. Mostly there would be ladies/ children would also be sitting in that car as it gives the impression to police that family members are travelling and not the Ganja traffickers.
It has come to notice that in the particular basti/ area of Bhubaneswar large numbers of people from Kandhamal are staying and many others could also be involved in the Ganja trafficking. This aspect is being analyzed and is under surveillance.
Their connections with other inter-district and inter-state drug traffickers are being scrutinized.
Their possible connections with Naxals/ Sympathizers in the Kandhamal-Boudh will also be scrutinized. Many surrendered Naxals and the seized documents have indicated that there is a deep nexus between Naxals and Cannabis (Ganja) cultivation.
They have earned huge amounts of money and have purchased at least 05 numbers of costly vehicles i.e. ( Suzuki Ciaz, TATA Safari, Hyundai Eon, Maruti S Cross, Santro car and two costly motorcycles i.e. One Bajaj Pulsar M/c and one Honda DO DLF M/c) whose costs would be more than 50 lakhs. All the vehicles have been seized and steps are being taken for forfeiture of the same.
A thorough financial investigation under section 68 of the NDPS Act has been initiated. As per the NDPS act all the properties (movable and immovable) earned out of crime proceeds in the last six years would be seized and a proposal will be moved to the competent authority Kolkata (quasi-judicial authority under NDPS Act) for permanent forfeiture of the seized/ frozen property.
Earlier, the above-noted accused was arrested in a rape case of Phulbani Sadar PS Case No.12/2023 and forwarded to the court.
A special drive against narcotic drugs is continuing. Since 2020, STF has seized more than 75 Kg of Brown Sugar/Heroin, 202 grams of Cocaine and more than 124 quintals of Ganja/Marijuana, Opium more than 14 kg of and arrested more than 195 drug dealers/peddlers.
