Police Arrest Three Drug Peddlers, Seize MD Powder Worth Rs 90.70 Lakh
Nagpur, India: In a major crackdown, the Anti-Narcotic Cell of the Crime Branch arrested three drug peddlers, including a supervisor from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), on Wednesday morning. The operation, conducted in the Nandanvan area, resulted in the seizure of 907 grams of mephedrone (MD) powder valued at approximately Rs 90.70 lakh, along with four smartphones worth Rs 40,000 and an electronic weighing scale.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Kapil Gangadhar Khobragade (40), a Health Department supervisor at the NMC and resident of Rajendra Nagar slums; Rakesh Anantrao Giri (31), a resident of Nandanvan slums near Boudh Vihar; and Akshay Bandu Wanjari (25), a resident of Bajrang Nagar, Old Bagadganj. Notably, Khobragade and Giri had previous cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, while Wanjari had a criminal history with 12 cases, including one under the NDPS Act.
The arrests followed a tip-off about a drug deal, prompting officers from the Anti-Narcotic Cell to set a trap near Lohana Bhavan, close to Hiwri Nagar Garden. Around 10:45 a.m., the police moved in as Khobragade and Giri were attempting to deliver the MD powder to Wanjari. The trio was apprehended on the spot, and the drugs, along with the smartphones and weighing scale, were seized.
Five accomplices involved in the illegal drug trade—Sohail from Sarangpur, Madhya Pradesh; Maqsood Aminuddin Malik from Taj Nagar, Teka; Golu Borkar from Hiwri Nagar; and Akshay Bobde and Allahrakha, both from Hingna—are currently at large. Maqsood Malik has a criminal record with 14 cases, including five under the NDPS Act.
The accused have been handed over to the Nandanvan Police, where they have been charged under Sections 8(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act. The operation was led by PI Gajanan Gulhane and his team, including HC Manoj Neware, HC Pawan Gajbhiye, Shailesh Dobole, NPC Rohit Kale, NPC Rahul Patil, NPC Sheshrao Rewatkar, and others, under the supervision of senior Crime Branch officials.
