By Biswanath Dash
BHUBANESWAR: STF arrested one interstate habitual ganja trafficker namely Sarat Kumar Dey aka Kalia S/O Ekadashi Dey of Parahati, PS Myamani Dist. East Bardhawan in West Bengal.
The accused is involved in several previous cases and has been trafficking Ganja in Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar. This refers to STF case no23/2023. This case was initially registered at Mohana PS vide case no.120/2023 dt.20.08.2023 U/s. 20(b)(ii)(C)/25/29 NDPS Act, 1985. Later the investigation was taken over by STF as in this case huge quantity of Ganja (43 quintals+, the highest seized in one case) was seized and inter-states drug traffickers were involved. Saratis the mastermind and the main accused in this case.
During search Rs. 1,25,000/-and other incriminating materials were seized from him. The accused will be produced in the Gajapati court today.In the instant case, on 20.8.2023 early morning the accused Sarat Kumar Dey and his associate Promad Kumar Tandi while transporting huge quantity of ganja in a truck, having original West Bengal registration number but fitted with a duplicate Odisha Registration Number, was detected by patrolling party of Gajapati district Police. Seeing the police party accused Sarat Dey and his associate escaped from the spot leaving the vehicle. During search of the vehicle huge quantity ofcontraband Ganja i.e. 4335 kg were recovered and seized.
Basing upon the gravity of the case STF was took over the case and investigated into. The accused was earlier also involved in a number of cases (Narcotics, robbery, Rioting etc.).
The details of the cases are as follows:i) R Udayagiri PS Case No. 54 dt. 20.8.2020 U/s. 20(b)(ii)(C)/25/29 NDPS Act,1985ii) R Udayagiri PS Case No.34 dt. 27.2.2021 U/s. 224/24 IPCiii) R Udayagiri PS Case No. 138 dt. 13.11.2022 U/s. 20(b)(ii)(C)/25/29 NDPS Act,1985iv) Brahmagiri PS Case No. 203/2014 U/s. 394 IPCv) Brahmagiri PS Case no. 166 dt. 13.7.2023 U/s. 341/ 294/ 323/ 324/ 427/379/506/34 IPC.He had also once escaped from the custody of police.
It is pertinent to mention here that the father of the accused i.e. Ekadashi Dey was also a ganja peddler who has been convicted by the court i.e. Rigorous Imprisonment for 10 years and is now in Puri jail.Further investigation is on.
