New Delhi: Delhi Police has arrested a man from a remote Naxal-affected hilly region in Odisha for allegedly supplying large quantities of marijuana to an inter-state drug syndicate operating in the Delhi-NCR region, an official said Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Bhagirathi Padhan (27), a resident of Kandhamal district, is believed to be the key supplier for the syndicate that was earlier busted in March with the seizure of 120kg of marijuana, he said. “Padhan ran a well-established supply chain of contraband cannabis from dense, Naxal-affected forest areas of Phulbani, where he also oversaw illegal cultivation,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Harsh Indora said.
Acting on leads and technical surveillance, the team traced the accused to the jurisdiction of Gochhapada police station in Kandhamal, Odisha, he added. “The region is known for its difficult terrain and Naxal activity, which made the operation extremely challenging. After sustained efforts and local coordination, Padhan was arrested from the forested area,” the DCP said.
Police said Padhan had been a key figure in the supply network, which routed marijuana, locally referred to as ‘Kanchan’, to various parts of India. His name emerged during the investigation of Harsh Pratap Singh and Ishan Singh, who were arrested earlier this year in connection with the seizure of 120kg of marijuana. “Bhagirathi Padhan is not new to law enforcement. He was previously booked under the NDPS Act in 2017 in Odisha for similar offences,” the officer added. The DCP said that efforts are ongoing to identify other links in the network and further dismantle the supply chain.
