SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
PANJIM, APRIL 5
In a shocking development, the Goa Police teams which were auditing the drugs, seized between 2000 till date, in the Anti-Narcotics Cell maal khana (store room) have discovered that 240 kg charas missing.
The ANC maal khana is located at the state head quarters, which is highly protected.
“Out of the 280 kg of charas (hashish) which was seized in the last 10 years, approximately 240 kg of charas worth Rs 2 crore in the international market is missing,” sources told Herald.
The audit of the ANC godown was called for after Israeli drug dealer Yaniv Benhaim alias Atala in a video uploaded on youtube alleged that the ANC PI Ashish Shirodkar stole the drugs from the godown and gave it to him to sell in the market.
Last month Herald had reported that drugs seized by the Goa Police were not disposed off since 2000.
Herald had also said that there were no orders from the destruction committee to destroy any drugs during this period.
It may be noted that all drugs seized are transferred to the ANC godown, where they are stored under lock and key.
By regulation, the drugs are then supposed to be destroyed at regular intervals after proper stocktaking by the Drug Destruction Committee (DDC), which is chaired by the Director General of Police (DGP).
Since the arrest of the five policemen including suspended Police Inspector Ashish Shirodkar, the Crime Branch alongwith the ANC and the court officials had been auditing the drugs seized in last 10 years in the maal khana.
“At the moment we are auditing the stock of charas and found that 200 kgs (charas) is missing,” a senior official of the crime branch said here today.
“We are yet to check other drugs like cocaine, ganja (marijuana), and other synthetic drugs stored in the godown,” the official stated.
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The official also said that the audit also revealed that drugs which were supposed to have been destroyed when the DDC last met in 2001 under the chairmanship of then DGP Gurucharan Singh Sandhu, were still found in the godown.
“Several sealed packets of the drugs which were supposed to have been publicly destroyed, were found open and some with the seals tampered with,” the official said.
When contacted by Herald Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ravinder Singh Yadav confirmed the audit of the godown, but refused to comment on the missing stock of charas.
“The Crime Branch is carrying out a wide investigation in the matter and have been inspecting the godown for the last several days,” Yadav said adding “they will be submitting a report to me soon.”
Asked whether the NDPS court personnel will also be investigated in the case, Yadav said, “if need be we will.”
