Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of state Crime Branch (CB) has arrested a 36-year-old man after recovering Rs 1 crore worth brown sugar from his possession at one of the government quarters in Unit-VIII area under Capital police limits here, an official said Sunday.
Chittaranjan Sahoo, who hails from Kalanga in Dhenkanal and was staying on rent at one of the government quarters here for a few months now, has been taken into custody after over 1 kilogram of brown sugar was recovered from his possession, said the official, adding that a case (11/23) has been registered with the STF in this regard.
Following a tip-off, the STF sleuths with the help of Commissionerate Police carried out a raid at Chittaranjan’s house Saturday evening. During the search, the sleuths recovered 1107 grams of brown sugar worth Rs 1 crore, a motorcycle and a few incriminating materials from Chittaranjan’s possession.
“Locals claimed that the quarter has been allotted to a former Army officer. We will write to the General Administration (GA) department about the allotment. Subsequently, the allottee will be brought under the purview of investigation,” said a senior STF official.
The accused was produced before a local court Sunday that sent him to judicial custody. Sources said police have also launched a manhunt to nab the brown sugar supplier who is a native of Balasore district.
“Since 2020, STF has seized over 69 kg of brown sugar/heroin, 202-gram cocaine and more than 113 quintals of ganja/marijuana and 750-gram opium. More than 168 drug dealers/peddlers have been arrested since then,” said the STF official.
PNN