Hyderabad: Police arrested a father and son in a ganja cultivation in Asifabad case after seizing 1,245 cannabis plants. Officials also recovered 11 grams of dried ganja during the operation.
The arrests took place under Jainur police station limits in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district. Police identified the accused as Ambure Pundalik, 50, and his son Ramesh.
District SP Nitika Pant said police would take strict action against illegal cultivation, transportation, storage and sale of ganja. She also urged people to share information about drug-related illegal activities with the police.
According to officials, Jainur SI G. Ravikumar received reliable information on September 13. Police then conducted a search at Patnapur Main Road during the investigation.
During the search, officers found Pundalik behaving suspiciously. Police searched him and recovered 11 grams of dried marijuana hidden inside his towel.
The police seized the dried ganja through a panchnama conducted in the presence of government panch witnesses. Later, officers questioned Pundalik about the source of the seized substance.
Police said Pundalik then revealed that he had been cultivating marijuana on agricultural land. He allegedly carried out the cultivation along with his son Ramesh.
Following this information, police inspected the agricultural land connected to Pundalik. The inspection took place in the presence of an Agricultural Extension Officer and five government witnesses.
Officers found a large number of cannabis plants growing across the agricultural land. They seized 1,245 plants along with their roots during the operation.
Officials estimated the value of the seized cannabis plants at approximately Rs. 1.50 crore. Police also found that the accused had grown the cannabis as an intercrop between other agricultural crops.
Ganja cultivation in Asifabad uncovered during field inspection
Meanwhile, police registered a case and continued their investigation after recovering the plants and dried ganja. Investigators examined the evidence collected during the searches and proceeded against the two accused.
Subsequently, police arrested Pundalik and Ramesh on September 14. The arrests followed the evidence gathered during the investigation into the cultivation and possession of ganja.
Police said the case exposed illegal cannabis cultivation within agricultural land. The plants had been grown alongside other crops, according to the investigation.
District SP Nitika Pant reiterated that authorities would act firmly against people involved in ganja cultivation in Asifabad and related illegal activities. Her warning covered cultivation, transportation, storage and sale of ganja and other drugs.
The SP also appealed to members of the public to cooperate with police efforts to prevent the spread of drugs. She asked anyone with information about illegal marijuana or other drug-related activities to alert the police immediately.
Nitika Pant congratulated the Jainur police personnel for monitoring cannabis cultivation in the area. She also praised the team for acting on the information, conducting the searches and arresting the accused.
The investigation followed the initial recovery of 11 grams of dried ganja from Pundalik. Police then traced the substance to the alleged cultivation operation on agricultural land.
The case resulted in the seizure of 1,245 cannabis plants, each removed with its roots, along with the dried ganja. Officials placed the estimated value of the plants at around Rs. 1.50 crore.