Balasore: The Special Task Force of the Odisha Police Crime Branch (CB) today arrested a havildar on charges of his links with notorious drugs smuggler Sheikh Raja, who was recently arrested.
The havildar has been identified as Ranjan Sahu, who was posted at Bicharganj outpost in Sahadevkhunta area in Balasore and was was placed under suspension two days ago for his alleged nexus with the drugs kingpin Raja. The STF arrested him today after a marathon interrogation and later produced him before the District Judge and Sessions Court.
Raja who is a resident of Sahadevkhunta area was arrested by the CB-STF from Padmapur under Khandagiri Police limits in Bhubaneswar on September 16. Crime Branch suspects that Raja is a kingpin of drugs trade in Odisha has links with inter-state and international drugs mafia based in Nepal and Bangladesh. Several criminal cases, including extortion and firing are also pending against him at different police stations across the state.
The Crime Branch has also arrested several associates of Raja including a woman from Haladipadia slum in Bhubaneswar.