Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 31: A 23-year-old man was arrested after police recovered 81.33 grams of ganja during a search near Shiv Mandir in New Pahargaon, with the alleged contraband found concealed inside a raincoat cover bag kept on a motorcycle.
The seizure took place around 7:30 pm on August 30, when a team from Pahargaon Police Station was conducting routine patrols within its jurisdiction. According to the FIR, SI Animesh Ram was accompanied by HC(SG) K. Jai Raj, HC(SG) Rahul Kumar Maurya and PC Ajith Halder when they reached the area and noticed a motorcycle rider sitting on his vehicle in what police described as suspicious circumstances.
Police identified the rider as S. Saravana, son of M. Subranmani, 23, a resident of Haddo near the Agriculture Office, Megapode. An initial check of the motorcycle did not reveal any incriminating material, after which personnel searched a jute bag kept on the vehicle.
The search led to the recovery of a brown raincoat cover bag belonging to Saravana. Inside it, police found a silver-coloured plastic foil containing a dried leafy substance. The FIR states that Saravana told police that the substance was ganja.
After securing the location, police brought an investigation kit, electronic weighing machine, sealing materials and seizure documents to complete the proceedings. Two persons who subsequently reached the spot, S. Veera Singam, 30, of Prothrapur, and Tapas Pandey, 43, of Bathu Basthi, agreed to witness the search and seizure.
The witnesses examined the recovered substance, which they identified as ganja based on its appearance, smell and texture. Police weighed the material at 81.33 grams, including the silver-coloured plastic foil.
The seized substance was placed in a green envelope and sealed with molten wax using a brass seal bearing the impression “AR”. Police also took possession of the brown raincoat cover bag and the raincoat allegedly used to conceal the substance.
The Hero Glamour motorcycle, bearing registration number AN01 T 2749 and described as red and black, was also seized along with its ignition key under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Police said Saravana was informed about his legal rights concerning a personal search. He agreed to be searched at the spot without the presence of a Gazetted Officer or Executive Magistrate, and the personal search did not yield any incriminating material.
Saravana was arrested at about 9:35 pm under Section 20(b)(ii)(A) of the NDPS Act, 1985. The seized case property was later deposited in the police station malkhana after the team returned to Pahargaon Police Station.
The case has been registered, and SI B. Sasi Kumar is conducting further investigation.
