CHENNAI: Two women were arrested for attempting to hand over a packet of ganja to a prison inmate when he was produced before a court at the Chennai Collectorate premises on Rajaji Road.

The inmate, Manikandan (35) of Elephant Gate, detained under the Goondas Act, has over 10 criminal cases pending against him. According to the police, Manikandan was escorted from Puzhal prison to a court functioning on the Chennai Collectorate campus in Parrys on Monday afternoon for a pending trial. After the court proceedings concluded at about 5.30 pm, his wife, Valli (25), who was at court, passed him a packet of ganja.

Police, upon noticing Valli's sleight of hand, intercepted and immediately detained Valli. Officers found that the contraband was brought to the court premises by Ammu (25), a friend of Valli.

The North Beach police seized 20 grams of ganja, registered a case against the two women and arrested them. They were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.