Greater Noida, Oct 14: Police and Anti-Narcotics Team in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida have seized ‘ganja’ worth Rs 1 crore and arrested three for smuggling the drugs, officials said.

According to officials, Badalpur Police and the Anti-Narcotics Team busted an interstate gang involved in the smuggling of ‘ganja’. The arrests were made near Kudi Kheda turn on the Dadri-Lalkuan road in Uttar Pradesh.

Police said 165 kg and 700 grams of illicit ‘ganja’ have been seized, valued at approximately Rs 1 crore. The truck and the car used for the alleged smuggling have also been confiscated.

Apart from that, four mobile phones, Rs 1,980 in cash and bank cards have also been recovered.

Police said that the accused used to transport cannabis from Bhubaneswar in a truck to supply it in Delhi. A secret cavity had been created in the truck to evade police checks.

According to the police, one of those arrested, Dinesh Pal, is the gang leader and had earlier spent about 15 months in jail in connection with the seizure of 250 kg of ‘ganja’ in 2021.

Speaking to reporters, Praveen Ranjan Singh, DCP Central, said: “Last night, during a joint checking operation conducted by the Anti-Narcotics team and the Badalpur police station, a truck was intercepted based on local intelligence. Approximately 1.66 quintals of ‘ganja’, which was being transported from Odisha to Delhi, was seized. Three individuals involved in the operation were arrested: two were in the truck, while the third was driving a car accompanying it.”

“The driver of the car would scout the route ahead, and the truck would follow behind. All three arrested accused are originally from Bihar, though one resided in Delhi. The consignment brought from Odisha was handed over to two individuals—identified as Sameer and Ravi Kumar Sahni—upon arrival in Delhi,” he mentioned.

The police officer confirmed that Dinesh, a Bihar resident, was involved in transporting the consignment.

“He would deliver the shipment to the other two, after which it was distributed through wholesale and retail channels in Delhi. Detailed interrogation regarding the entire gang is currently underway. We are also investigating the truck involved—specifically, which transport company it belongs to, who the owner is, and whether any other vehicles owned by them are involved in this illicit trade,” he added.

A case has been registered against the accused at Badalpur Police Station under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).

New Delhi, Oct 14: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday urged “patriots” to gather at the Central Park in New Delhi’s Connaught Place, to wave the Tricolour in protest against the arrest of his party’s co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.

In a video message posted on social media platform X, Dipke termed the agitation as “Lehra do Tiranga”.

“As you already know, Saurav and Ashutosh have been put in jail just for waving the Tricolour. So I request all the patriots, all those who love the Tricolour, to gather at Central Park in Connaught Place, at 5 p.m. on October 16, along with the Tricolour,” he said.

“We will wave the Tricolour there and show that waving a ‘Tiranga’ is not a crime,” he added.

Dipke asked those who are unable to reach the national capital, to undertake a ‘Tiranga march’ in their respective localities, in order to “show the authoritarians that our Tricolour is our pride and waving it is not a crime”.

“It is possible that I might be arrested after this but I am not stressed about that. My ‘Tiranga’ is my pride and I will wave it at any cost,” the CJP Chief asserted.

Earlier on Wednesday, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five-day judicial custody in the Jantar Mantar trespassing case, while another CJP leader Ajinkya Shinde was released on personal bond.

Das and Ranka have been placed in separate cells within Tihar Jail, people familiar with the matter said.

“Saurav Das has been placed in Jail No. 2. Ashutosh Ranka has been placed in Jail No. 4,” the sources said.

Advocate Abhisht Hela, representing CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde, speaking to media, said, “They have been sent to judicial custody for five days.”

The three CJP members were put in preventive arrest for trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as the designated protest site. They were booked for trespassing, bond violation and obstruction of public officials’ duty. They were produced before a Magistrate at Mandir Marg in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.

New Delhi, Oct 14: Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat, posted in Delhi’s Connaught Place subdivision, has lodged an FIR against a woman journalist and two others, alleging that they made casteist remarks against him, publicly humiliated him and obstructed him from performing his official duties during a protest in the national capital on October 3.

The FIR, registered at Parliament Street Police Station on October 13, names journalist Rosy, Gajendra Singh, associated with a news portal, and an unidentified person as accused. The case has been registered under Sections 221, 356(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Bhagat has been in the spotlight amid allegations of harassment of women protesters during the recent agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The allegations are being investigated by the Crime Branch.

According to the complaint filed by ACP Vivek Bhagat, who belongs to the Megh/Meghwal Scheduled Caste community, the alleged incident took place at Buta Singh Roundabout on October 3, when police personnel were deployed to manage a protest called by Neha Bora and others against the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Bhagat stated that protesters had gathered around 2.30 p.m. and were attempting to proceed towards Jantar Mantar. Despite police announcements regarding the enforcement of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and requests to disperse, the protesters allegedly refused to move, following which police personnel began detaining them.

The ACP alleged that before the detention process, Rosy, in the presence of her colleague Gajendra Singh and others, made derogatory remarks referring to his nameplate and caste identity.

According to the complaint, she allegedly said, “Ye Bhagat hai, Meghwal hote hain, ye choti jaati ke hote hai, silai bunai ka kaam karte hai, ye *** kahan se ACP ban gaya.” (This is Bhagat; they are Meghwals, belonging to a lower caste. They do sewing and stitching work. How the hell did this fellow become an ACP?)

Bhagat said he ignored the remarks and continued performing his duty. He further alleged that around 3 p.m., while facilitating the movement of a bus carrying detainees, Rosy accused him of sexually assaulting her. He claimed that she and her colleagues repeatedly confronted him, questioned his conduct and obstructed his official work.

The complaint further states that Rosy, Gajendra Singh and others staged a protest outside Parliament Street Police Station around 6.15 p.m. the same evening, raising slogans against him and allegedly portraying him as a sexual predator and potential rapist.

Bhagat also alleged that several posts and reels were subsequently circulated on X and Instagram by the accused and others, including members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), damaging his reputation.

The ACP claimed that the allegations and online posts had caused him mental trauma and reputational damage. He also expressed apprehension that the actions were intended to target and humiliate him because of his caste identity.

The FIR states that, prima facie, offences under the relevant provisions of the BNS and the SC/ST Act were made out. Further investigation has been assigned to ACP Ajay Kumar Sharma of Parliament Street subdivision.