Congress seeks M.P. Minister’s resignation over brother’s arrest for marijuana smuggling

Madhya Pradesh Congress has demanded the resignation of State Government Minister Pratima Bagri, a day after her alleged brother was arrested for smuggling marijuana in Satna district.

According to the police, Anil Bagri was arrested on Monday, December 8, following the interrogation of a man who was held with approximately 46 kilograms of drugs earlier in the day. Ganja (marijuana) worth more than ₹9.22 lakh.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Satna Rural, Premlal Kurve said that following a tip-off, a raid was conducted at Maroha village under Rampur Baghelan police station and Pankaj Singh Baghel was arrested after marijuana was found in a large number of rice sacks hidden in front of his house.

“In this case, he told us he took the money. Ganja Anil Bagri and one Shailendra Singh,” Mr. Kurve said, adding that all three men were arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act.

“Anil and Pankaj were produced in court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days,” Mr. Kurve said. Hindu.

Shailendra Singh is also Ms. Bagri’s brother-in-law and was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police earlier this month for alleged marijuana smuggling, a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party Government over the issue and demanded that Ms. Bagri resign from her post and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also give up the Home portfolio.

“What kind of a message is this? The government itself is also involved in drug trade? In the entire country, Madhya Pradesh alone aims to generate revenue of Rs 17,000 crore from liquor sales and surpasses even Punjab in illegal drug trade,” Mr. Patwari said, claiming that law and order has broken down in the State and Mr. Yadav should hand over the Home Ministry to someone else.

“Even after this, you do not want to give up the Ministry of Internal Affairs, you are being unfair to the State,” he said.

Activists of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, also demonstrated near the residences of Mr Yadav and Ms Bagri, claiming that a drug ring in the state was operating from “ministers’ homes”.

Minister of State for Urban Development and Housing, Ms. Bagri, said the police were doing their job and no criminal would be spared.

Calling for an impartial investigation into the matter, Ms. Bagri said, “The police will take action against anyone who does wrong, be it a relative or a family member. They have done this even in the past.”

Earlier in the day, while Ms Bagri did not deny her relationship with Mr Anil Bagri, she told reporters that “the media is making up her relatives on their own”.