Mega drug haul in Bhopal: Land on which factory was located changed hands violating norms

Bhopal: The land on which a mephedrone manufacturing unit was located in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh belonged to the state government and was leased out for a furniture business, officials said on Monday.

On Saturday, Gujarat ATS and NCB, in a joint operation, busted the factory in Bagroda and seized 907.09 kilograms of mephedrone worth Rs 1,814 crore. The unit had the capacity to manufacture 25 kg of MD drug per day, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad had said in a statement.

The drug factory was located about 15 km from Katara police station and 30 km from the MP police headquarters. Three persons, identified as Amit Chaturvedi, Sanyal Baner and Harish Aanjana, were arrested in connection with the drug haul.

The land measuring around 11000 square feet was given in 2021 to one Jaideep Singh for setting up an industrial unit by MP Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (MPAKVN now known as MP Industrial Development Corporation Limited), police said.

"In 2023, he sold it to SK Singh, who rented it out to arrested accused Amit Chaturvedi. Jaideep Singh did not inform MPAKVN and sold it to SK Singh, who is a retired BHEL engineer. SK Singh was arrested for not informing MPAKVN and police about renting out the land which is mandatory as per an order passed in August," Katara Hills police station inspector Inspector Brijendra Nigam told PTI.

"Efforts are on to arrest Jaideep Singh. Both have been charged under section 223 (not informing the police of renting or leasing out land thus disobeying lawful order issued by public servant) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)," he added.

Rent from the plot was delivered to SK Singh at home by Chaturvedi, the official said.

When contacted, MPIDC managing director Chandramauli Shukla said a notice has been served to the original lessee (Jaideep Singh) for cancellation of land allotment.

"He has not informed us after transferring land measuring 9080 sq metres (to SK Singh). We had leased out the land to the original company. The original company had paid the lease rent till now. It has to pay lease rent for 2024 -2025," Shukla said.

"We have a lease transfer provision with permission along with fees. Neither application for the transfer of land was given nor permission was sought. SK Singh is not in our picture," Shukla said.

The MSME department had given MPIDC a list of 26 industrialists and land was allotted to them as per government process in 2018, he added.