Telangana State Anti Narcotics Bureau (TSNAB) along with the Langer Houz police are set to seize illegally acquired properties of the three men, including a police constable of Greyhounds unit, in Warangal.
Officials from the TSNAB confirmed that the competent authority has passed orders to seize the illegally acquired properties with the drug money under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) (SAFEMA) Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
In August 2023, police arrested Greyhounds constable Tejavath Prashanth Naik and others, identified as - Vankudoth Veeranna, Ajmeera Veeranna, Surneni Manoj and Merugu Madhu of Mahabubabad district, and Mohammed Jahangir of Mahbubnagar. Officials seized four modified high-end SUVs with compartments to conceal contraband and ₹12 lakh of drug money from the gang.
Vankudoth Veeranna was running the drug network since 2018 and has even posed as a policeman/government official to get past the toll booths and checkposts during the lockdown period. “He runs the network with about 25 men by investing in high-end cars and having them modified to have compartments to conceal drugs. The vehicles have police sirens and sticker of ‘police’ and ‘On Government Duty’. The accused also had fake police and government ID cards on his name,” explained the officials.
His relative, Prashanth Naik, taught him the tricks used by the police in catching drug smugglers. This knowledge was used to hoodwink policemen at junctions.
Orders were now passed to seize the illegally acquired properties of Prashanth Naik, Merugu Madhu and Vankudoth Veeranna.
A probe revealed that they acquired assets, including vehicles and a building, using income derived from the illegal sale of narcotics.
“After reviewing the investigation and evidence, the court concluded that they had indeed committed an offence under the NDPS Act and that the seized properties, including vehicles, a building, and cash, were “illegally acquired properties” obtained through drug trafficking,” explained an official from the TSNAB.
The court further determined that the accused failed to provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate legitimate sources of income for acquiring these assets. Consequently, the court confirmed the freezing order issued by the empowered officer, the Inspector of Langer Houz police, by prohibiting the transfer, disposal, or dealing with the seized assets without prior permission.
“This order serves as a temporary restraint to prevent the accused from concealing or transferring the illegally acquired properties,” added the officials.
