Don’t buy assets from known ganja smugglers: DIG
Deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Visakhapatnam Range Gopinath Jatti
Anakapalli : Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police, Visakhapatnam Range, Gopinath Jatti cautioned peple against purchasing properties from known ganja smugglers.
The caution follows a recent case of Padala Nageswara Rao (39) belonging to Ratnampetavillage, Roluguntamandal, who was arrested by Butchayyapetapolice, Anakapallidistrict under NDPS Act.
The court sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and imposed a fine of Rs1 lakh. Involved in ganja smuggling for over a decade, Nageswara Rao amassed 15.36 acres of agricultural land registered under his and his wife’s name. The total investment in these properties, including stamp duty and other costs, amounted to Rs62.80 lakh.
Financial investigations conducted by the police revealed that these properties were acquired through proceeds from illicit ganja trafficking. Under Section 68(g)(ii) of the NDPS Act, income derived from such properties is considered ill-gotten and illegal. Consequently, any net income from the cultivation of these lands is deemed unlawful. To prevent the disposal or transfer of these illegally acquired properties, freezing and seizure orders were issued by G Koteswara Rao, inspector of police, Kothakota Circle. The orders were executed under Section 68F of the NDPS Act, 1985, ensuring the properties remain under legal scrutiny.
The DIG emphasised that purchasing properties from such convicted individuals not only facilitates the circulation of illicit money but also implicates buyers in legal and financial complications. Properties acquired through illegal means are subject to seizure and forfeiture, and transactions involving such assets may result in severe legal consequences for the buyers.
The DIG also reiterated the police department’s commitment to dismantling narcotics networks and ensuring that all proceeds from drug-related crimes are confiscated. The public is urged to verify the legal status of properties before making any purchase to avoid becoming unwitting participants in criminal activities.