The accused were intercepted near Madanpura Dam when police noticed a suspicious Hyundai vehicle. After a brief chase, officers recovered 22.2 kg of ganja from the car. The occupants—Rajendra Baghel, Pankaj Shukla and Rajkumar Sharma—were arrested and later sent to jail under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Two key suspects, including the alleged financier, remain absconding.
Investigators said the network functioned like a corporate setup. A financier provided capital, a manager coordinated operations, suppliers handled distribution, and a storekeeper maintained stock. Profits were pre-decided. Police estimates show cannabis worth about ₹2 lakh was sourced from Odisha and sold locally for nearly ₹10 lakh. Of this, the financier took a direct share of ₹5 lakh, while the remaining amount was divided among other members. Around ₹50,000 was kept aside as a contingency fund for legal and security-related expenses.
The probe revealed that cannabis was procured from Odisha at ₹5,000 per kg and sold in Bhind and nearby areas at ₹20,000–₹25,000 per kg. Supplies were routed through specific members for urban and rural areas, with the network extending into parts of Morena district and Etawah.
Police said the operation was coordinated through WhatsApp using code words such as “financier”, “manager” and “storekeeper”. Payments were allegedly made through digital platforms to avoid cash handling.
According to investigators, the network was built after one of the accused established contacts with interstate smugglers while lodged in jail in an earlier case. The smuggling proceeds were also used to buy assets, including a car worth about ₹12 lakh.
Barohi police station in-charge Atul Bhadauria said efforts are on to trace the absconding accused and identify assets linked to the illegal trade, while further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.
.jpg)
