CUTTACK: About Rs. 2 lakh worth of ganja was seized by Excise Department following a hot chase on the National Highway No 42 at Kajalkana under Choudwar police limits on Friday afternoon. Two persons have been arrested in the connection. Acting on a tip-off, the special excise team led by inspector Amar Jena on Friday lied in wait for the suspect vehicle near Kajalkana. The car crossed by them in the afternoon and they gave it a hot chase. The vehicle was intercepted at a distance and two persons Pratap Samal (22) of Hindol and Pramod Samal (21) of Balimi in Dhenkanal district were nabbed. Gunny bags containing about 42 kgs of ganja was recovered from the car. The ganja was reportedly destined to Paradip. The contraband was sourced from the illicit plantation pockets in Angul district, excise sources revealed. While the seizure is estimated to be worth around Rs 2 lakh, the catch and its safe-keep till production in the court has stirred a hot tussle between the Excise and the police. The Excise officials reportedly tried to hand over the seized and sealed contraband with the nearest Choudwar police for safe-keep until it was produced in the Court in the case. But the police refused to oblige. Excise officials said that the rules of the NDPS Act made it mandatory for handing over the sealed contraband to the nearest police station if seizure was done during late and off-court hours and kept there till it was able to be produced in Court. This was done to prevent any tampering of evidence. “The results is that the case would be weakened and the arrested suppliers would get acquittal. The refusal of police is against the law. A report would be submitted to Commissioner Excise in the connection”, Excise Superintendent Cuttack PR Patnaik said.
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