2,057 kg ganja seized,kingpin held

Khan was to distribute ganja in the Koregaon Park area,notorious for narcotics trade. On interrogation,Khan said about an additional stock of ganja was kept at a godown in Kondhwa Khurd. A police team then raided the godown and seized 60 bags,carrying 1,895 kg of ganja. “In all,we have seized 65 bags,carrying 2,057 kgs of ganja,Rs 30,000 in cash and the Tata Sierra used for the crime,” said inspector Kate.

According to the details obtained from the Anti Narcotics Cell of Pune police crime branch,Khan and his family had been involved in the narcotics trade in the city for many years. Khan was earlier arrested in March 2002 with 265 kg of ganja at Wanavdi,but later released on bail. His son Mohsin and wife Suriya were arrested in June 2006 with drugs worth Rs 1.64 lakh and Rs 2 lakh in cash at Nana Peth.

Police suspect he has become a major distributor of drugs in Pune,with links across the district. Investigation revealed that the ganja seized from Khan had been brought from Andhra Pradesh.

They said ganja is cheaper compared to other narcotic substances. However,they are yet to confirm whether the seized drugs were ordered for some big party. In March 2007,about 800 kg of opium was seized from a godown in Hadapsar just a few days after the rave party raid in Donje village,located at the foot of Sinhagad fort. Khan was produced before the Shivajinagar court and Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Jyoti Purkar remanded him in police custody till June 4.

Public prosecutor Rajshree Kadam said the suspect should be granted maximum police custody as the police needed to investigate the source of ganja. “Is there any more quantity of ganja that he is hiding,and if yes,that needs to be recovered. Khan had revealed the identity of his two associates as Pappi and Durga from Andhra Pradesh; he also named one Mohammed and Sharad from Lonavala. The police have to conduct further investigations and arrest the suspects,” Kadam said.