Hyderabad: In a major development, the Telangana Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) has seized assets worth Rs 70.39 lakh in the Warangal ganja bust case.

The assets were seized following the seizure of 147.3 kg of dry ganja, an Innova car, a Swift car and three mobile phones in a case registered at the Warangal Narcotics Police Station under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act earlier.

The arrested accused were identified as Nerella Sadaiah alias Sathish, Samala Sheshu, Kilo Somaraju and Munawar Ali. In a statement, EAGLE Director Sandeep Shandilya said, “As part of the financial investigation, police examined bank accounts, property records and other documents to trace assets allegedly acquired from illicit drug proceeds.” 

The inquiry was conducted under Section 68F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which empowers authorised investigating officers to temporarily seize or freeze illegally acquired property linked to drug offences.

According to a press release from EAGLE, an amount of Rs 1,59,910 in three bank accounts belonging to Munawar Ali and his family members was frozen. A tractor and a two-wheeler, valued at Rs 7.80 lakh, were seized from Kilo Somaraju and Samala Raju, the brother of Samala Sheshu.

Three immovable properties, comprising agricultural land and two open plots linked to relatives of Sadaiah and Sheshu, were also identified. Their estimated market value was Rs 61 lakh.

Based on the confirmation from the drug law enforcement authority in Chennai, the identified properties were forfeited on Tuesday, October 27, under Section 68F of the NDPS Act, Shandilya added.