Laxmipur: The Laxmipur police of Koraput district Wednesday arrested an Armed Police Reserve (APR) Constable and produced him before court for his alleged involvement in illegal ganja smuggling.
He was then remanded in judicial custody after the court rejected his bail plea. The accused cop was identified as Harekrishna Chetty.
According to sources, a police team had seized around 865kg of contraband from a truck in Lamptaput area of Koraput district while the narcotic items were being smuggled to Uttar Pradesh, a few days back.
The Laxmipur police had arrested the helper of the truck and another APR Constable Bhagban Khila, a resident of Bandaguda village under Koraput Sadar police station, in this connection.
However, the truck driver and Chetty had managed to escape leaving the vehicle on the spot. Based on the revealations of two arrested persons, police arrested Chetty while a manhunt was launched to nab the absconding truck driver.
Laxmipur SDPO said both the arrested APR constables were actively involved in the illegal ganja smuggling and action will be taken against them accordingly.
It may be mentioned here that Laxmipur police station, IIC Jagannath Acharya, was also involved in the smuggling of the ganja. He has been suspended from his job for helping the truck driver escape, it was learnt.
PNN