Bhopal factory, where drug haul made, was registered as soap unit

Bhopal, Oct 7 (IANS) Bhopal's factory, where Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raided and seized drugs valued over Rs 1800 crore, was registered as a soap manufacturing unit.

The unit located in Barkoda Industrial Enclave, around 10 km from Bhopal, was rented out to a third person -- Amit Prakashchandra Chaturvedi -- one of the accused arrested following the raid on Saturday.

"Land was allotted for setting up a soap manufacturing unit, where different types of chemicals were supposed to be used, however, it was given on rent to a third party," Bhopal Police Commissioner, Harinarayanchari Mishra told IANS.

Mishra said factory owner S.K. Singh was arrested on Monday and he has been booked for giving his factory on rent "illegally". "We have also arrested a former employee of BHEL, who was an intermediary between the factory owner and the third person," Mishra added.

Following the incident, Bhopal Police formed several teams to carry out inspection drives in the industrial units operating under its jurisdiction, Mishra added.

MP Police on Monday also arrested a third suspect, Harish Anjana, in connection with the drug haul case, from Mandsaur district, around 350 km from Bhopal and handed him to Gujarat ATS for further interrogation.

Police said a preliminary investigation revealed that Anjana had been booked for charges of drug supply in Mandsaur and Gwalior in the past. "During a brief interrogation, Anjana has revealed the name of one more suspect Prem Patidar, and we will arrest him soon," MP Police said.

The main accused in the drug racket -- Sanyal Bane was arrested along with Amit Prakashchandra Chaturvedi. According to police, a preliminary investigation revealed that Bane had been arrested in 2017 for a similar offence and had served five years in prison.

After his release, he conspired with Amit Prakashchandra Chaturvedi to manufacture and sell Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'Ecstasy') and rented a shed in Bagroda Industrial Estate, six to seven months ago. They began production of MDMA three months back, the police said.

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