A day after the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raided a factory on the outskirts of Bhopal and seized over 900 kgs of mephedrone (MD) drug, the Madhya Pradesh Government and Police are under heavy criticism from the Congress which has alleged that one of the arrested accused is an associate of Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda and sought his resignation.
After the operation, the Bhopal Police also booked two men who, it said, sold and leased the plot where the illegal factory was operating and that they did not inform the concerned authorities about selling or renting out the location.
In its largest illegal factory bust, the Gujarat ATS along with the NCB on Saturday raided a unit in Bhopal district’s Bagroda industrial area and seized 907 kilogram MD worth ₹1,814 crore. As per the ATS, the factory had capacity to make 25 kg MD per day.
Three men, identified as Amit Chaturvedi, 57, a resident of Bhopal; Sanyal Bane, 40, a resident of Maharashtra’s Nashik; and Harish Aanjana, 32, a resident of M.P.’s Mandsaur, were arrested for allegedly running the drug manufacturing and supply racket.
The two men booked by the M.P. Police, under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, were identified as Jaideep Singh and S.K. Singh.
Katara Hills police station incharge Vijendra Nigam told The Hindu that the plot at which the factory was established was allotted to Mr. Jaideep Singh in 2017-18 by the Industry Department, which were completed in 2022.
Mr. Nigam said that Mr. Jaideep Singh had sold the plot to Mr. S.K. Singh, a retired BHEL employee, who leased it to Mr. Chaturvedi about six months ago who had been running the illegal activities the ever since.
“Neither the Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (MPAKVN) nor the police was informed in this regard. According to MPIDC [M.P. Industrial Development Corporation] data, this plot is registered in the name of M/s Vastukaar Proprietor, whose original owner is Jaideep Singh.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari held a press conference to demand Mr. Devda’s resignation while alleging that Mr. Aanjana was a “close associate” of the Deputy CM.
Mr. Patwari, displaying some photographs, said, “He has about 500 photos and videos with the Deputy CM on his social media profile. He is a member of the [Bharatiya Janata] Yuva Morcha.”
Mr. Devda is a four-term MLA from Mandsaur district’s Malhargarh (SC reserved) Assembly constituency.
Mr. Patwari also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their allegations that the Congress leaders were linked to drug rackets at their recent public meetings.
“The Congress wants to push the nation’s youth into drug addiction and use that money to contest and win elections,” Mr. Modi had said at a rally in Maharashtra’s Washim last week.
After playing the Prime Minister’s remarks on a video, Mr. Patwari said, “I have a question for the Prime Minister and M.P. Chief Minister (Mohan Yadav). Will you take the Deputy CM’s resignation now? Should it be taken or not?”
Mr. Patwari also claimed that the local media had the information for one month and his party for two months that the two agencies were working in the State.
“But, the M.P. Police and agencies were not involved in the operation. Why? Because, they were colluded in this. Because, if they were together [part of the operation], the culprits would not have been caught,” he said.
State BJP chief V.D. Sharma, however, denied that Mr. Aanjana had any connection with the party and claimed that the “joint operation by M.P. Police and Intelligence, Gujarat ATS and NCB has created a stir among Congress leaders”.
“He has shown photographs. In politics, anyone gets clicked with any person,” he said, asking if the intel agencies and police will work after informing Mr. Patwari.
Mr. Yadav has also maintained that the M.P. police and agencies had worked with the NCB and the Gujarat ATS in the operation.
The CM also took to X on Sunday to share a letter and a post by Gujarat Government Minister Harsh Sanghvi, in which he has thanked the M.P. Police.
However, Mr. Patwari claimed that Mr. Sanghvi’s original post had no mention of the Madhya Pradesh Police.
Published - October 07, 2024 09:39 pm IST
