Bhopal: State govt transfers probe into marijuana 'sale' through Amazon to STF

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The probe into the online sale of marijuana through e-commerce platform Amazon, the case which was busted by the Madhya Pradesh police in November 2021, will now be investigated by the Special Task Force (STF).

A racket, which allegedly sold ganja (cannabis) under the guise of selling a sweetener on Amazon, was busted by Bhind district police. Following which a case was also registered against executive directors of Amazon India.

Earlier, the case was being investigated by the crime research department of the state police, which now has been transferred to the STF. A vide order in this regard was issued last month by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), G.P. Singh. "The case registered in Gohad police station of Bhind district is now being transferred to STF for further investigation," read an order issued by ADGP.

The state police, in November 2021, had arrested two persons - Bijendra Tomar and Suraj alias Kallu Pawaiya and had seized 21.7 kg of ganja from their possession. A case under section 38 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against executive directors of Amazon India which operates as ASSL in the country.

Notably, the Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhind Manoj Kumar Singh, who had busted the case, was transferred within a week after unearthing it. At that time, questions were raised on the sudden transfer. However, the state Home Minister Narottam Mishra had refuted allegations that the state government was under someone's pressure and had claimed that Singh himself wanted to be relocated to Bhopal.