Chennai: MDMK man, woman peddler, youth arrested in ganja case

CHENNAI: Three persons, including an area secretary of the MDMK, were arrested for allegedly possessing and selling ganja in North Chennai. The accused were remanded in judicial custody after being booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The arrested were identified as Geetha (37) of Sathangadu; Jagan (52), the RK Nagar area secretary of MDMK and the president of the Tondiarpet Market Pavement Vendors' Association; and Vishnu Priyan (20).

According to the police, a special team under the Washermenpet Deputy Commissioner received specific information that Geetha was involved in ganja trafficking from her house in Annamalai Nagar in Sathangadu.

Based on this, the police conducted a decoy purchase through two men. Vishnu Priyan allegedly arrived on a two-wheeler with 500 grams of ganja to supply the contraband and was intercepted on Ennore High Road in Tondiarpet around 10 pm on July 1.

During interrogation, Vishnu Priyan allegedly confessed that he had procured the ganja from Geetha. Based on his statement, the special team raided Geetha's residence in Sathangadu and arrested her. The police also arrested Jagan, who was staying at the house.

A total of five kilograms of ganja, four mobile phones, a digital weighing machine, and two two-wheelers were seized during the operation.

The RK Nagar police registered a case under Sections 8 (c) read with 20 (b) (ii) (B), 25 and 29 (1) of the NDPS Act. The three accused were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Officials said Geetha has several previous cases registered against her, including earlier NDPS cases and offences under the Essential Commodities Act and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act. Investigation is under way to identify others involved in the drug supply network.