The Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TSANB) has apprehended four persons, believed to be drug peddlers, and seized a tonne of ganja during a vehicle check at the Bolarum checkpost.
According to police, the apprehended individuals were identified as Sakaram Rathod (35), Ahmed Khan (27), Digambar Ramu Pawar (30) and Ajay Ramavtar Chaurasiya (39).
Mr. Sakaram Rathod, a school dropout from Vijayanagar Thanda in Bidar district of Karnataka, migrated to Hyderabad in 2002. He Initially worked at a panipuri stall and in 2010, established his own business near Galaxy Theatre, Shaikpet. Faced with financial challenges, he returned to his hometown.
While being employed as a labourer at a sugar factory in Bidar, he noticed the ganja addiction among labourers. Recognising the demand, he joined forces with acquaintances Kashiram, Laxman and Ravi. They procured ganja from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and sold it in Bidar. During drug peddling, he met Ajay Ramavtar Chaurasiya. Mr. Sakaram Rathod was later arrested and imprisoned.
After release, he, with the assistance of cousin Jaidev Chouhan (currently on the run), acquired a mini lorry for transporting ganja. Hiring Ahmed Khan as the driver and Digambar Ramu as the cleaner, he established the logistics for ganja transport. He then made a substantial advance payment of ₹8 lakh to his supplier Sanyasi Rao in Malkangiri, Odisha, for a large quantity of the contraband and also bought 100 empty crates to load them.
Last week, Ahmed Khan and Digambar Ramu travelled to Odisha and loaded 1,000 kg of ganja for transport to Auto Nagar, Rajamahendravaram in Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Sakaram Rathod joined them there and shifted four bags, containing 80 kg of ganja, to his car. Ajay met them on the outskirts of Secunderabad. It was here that their vehicles were stopped by TSANB.
The accused have been booked under sections 8(c) read with 20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act by the Bolarum police.
