Jabalpur, February 2, 2026: In a landmark case of ganja smuggling in Madhya Pradesh, an NDPS Special Court has sentenced truck driver Mahesh and his helper Mohammad Shakeel to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment each. Both were also fined ₹1.5 lakh each. The case involved the seizure of 1,200 kilograms of ganja hidden ingeniously beneath a load of timber, intercepted by police officer Sarita Barman through an undercover operation.
The incident dates back to August 27, 2023, when the Tilwara police station received intelligence about a truck carrying ganja from Odisha to Maharashtra, reportedly worth crores of rupees. Police laid a trap and stopped the suspicious vehicle, but the driver attempted to flee at high speed. Following a successful interception, the truck was thoroughly searched, revealing hundreds of kilograms of ganja concealed in a specially modified compartment beneath the timber load.
The two accused were immediately arrested at the scene. After a prolonged trial lasting two years, the NDPS Special Court delivered the verdict on Saturday. Authorities have described the seizure as the largest of its kind in Madhya Pradesh to date.
Investigation revealed that the ganja was carefully hidden inside a secret compartment in the truck’s cabin, which was designed to avoid detection. Police enlisted the help of 40 personnel to unload the vehicle, uncovering the full scale of the operation. Several other suspects in the case remain at large, and efforts to apprehend them are ongoing.
The incident occurred in the lead-up to the assembly elections, highlighting the significant intelligence and operational efforts undertaken by the local police.
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