Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police arrested a hardcore brown sugar peddler in Mayurbhanj district.
The accused has been identified as S.K. Mahtab Ali of Chipat Astia village under Baripada police limits in the district. Ali is known as ‘Kati’ among the drug traffickers. He is involved in many drug trafficking cases, a press release said on Thursday.
Based on intelligence input, a raid was conducted by a team of STF at Baripada with the help of Mayurbhanj district police on Wednesday and apprehended the accused.
In this case, contraband brown sugar 302 gram and other incriminating materials were seized from the possession of an accused person Khirasindhu Samal. Kati was absconded from the date of occurrence. He was the main supplier of brown sugar to Samal.
In 2020, Kati was arrested and forwarded in STF PS Case No. 21/2020, when huge quantity of contraband brown sugar 3 kg 265 grams was seized from the possession of accused persons. He remained in jail for two years. However, he managed to get bail from the High Court in August 2022.
Considering his involvement in multiple cases and links with other crime and criminals, a proposal is being submitted to book /detain him under PIT NDPS Act (Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988), the release added.