Bhubaneswar: Sian Sramik Basti, a small slum in Chandrasekharpur area, is suspected to be the den of an interstate ganja smuggling syndicate having its links with various outlawed Maoist ultra outfits. The lead in the case came following the arrest of a notorious ganja smuggler, Soumya Ranjan Digal, 25, by the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police during a raid at Tikabali in Kandhamal district, Sunday. Soumya, who is allegedly part of a larger syndicate, was on the run since April 11 after he staged a dramatic escape from the clutches of the police team that intercepted him and his brother, Bikash, in the City with a consignment of 52 kg of cannabis when the duo was transporting the contraband sourced from Kandhamal. Soumya was subsequently booked under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C)/29 of NDPS Act, 1985 in the case in which his brother was previously arrested.
Top STF sources told Orissa POST that the reason behind the suspected notoriety of Sian Sramik Basti stems from the ground that the affluent brother duo, originally residents of Kandhamal, resided in the slum’s lower middle-class neighbourhood under Maitri Vihar police limits, in the Capital City. “They could have easily lived in any plush area of the City. Instead, they preferred to stay in the shanties at Sian Sramik Basti which raises eyebrows,” an STF official said, adding that the drug trade in the southern district is known to be carried out in connivance with Naxals, who claim a lion share of the proceeds of crime. It has also been noticed that a significant number of people from Kandhamal reside in the slum indicating the possible involvement of many others in the trafficking of the contraband, said the STF official. “This aspect is under analysis and surveillance. Furthermore, the brothers’ connection with other inter-district and interstate drug traffickers is being scrutinised. Their possible connections with Naxals in the Kandhamal-Boudh region are also being investigated,” the official pointed out.
Giving details about the modus operandi, the official said, “The members of the syndicate would collect ganja from Kandhamal and Boudh areas. It has been observed that they preferred to transport the contraband in cars instead of big vehicles, like trucks, as cars are less suspected by law enforcement agencies.” Soumya and Bikash, STF officials said, have amassed a substantial amount of money and have purchased at least five luxurious cars and two motorcycles. The total cost of the vehicles would be more than Rs 50 lakh. A thorough financial investigation under Section 68 of the NDPS Act has also been initiated, he said. The STF would approach the competent authority in Kolkata (a quasi-judicial authority under the NDPS Act) for forfeiture of movable and immovable properties of the accused acquired from proceeds of crime, it was learnt. Soumya had earlier been arrested in a rape case of in Phulbani. Since 2020, the STF has seized more than 75 kg brown sugar, 202 gram cocaine and 124 quintals ganja, and 14 kg opium and arrested more than 195 persons.