Kolkata Police seize 14.5 kg ganja near Dharmatala, arrest 3 from Murshidabad
Synopsis
Kolkata Police's Narcotics Cell arrested three Murshidabad residents and seized over 14.5 kg of ganja near the Dharmatala bus stand, tracing the supply to Kalahandi district in Odisha. Investigators are now widening the probe to identify other members of the smuggling network.
Key Takeaways
The Kolkata Police Narcotics Cell seized 14.559 kg of ganja near Dharmatala bus stand on 5 November 2025 .
Three accused — Abdul Haque (48) , Anju Sheikh (32) , and Attabur Sheikh (27) — all from Murshidabad district , were arrested.
The ganja was reportedly sourced from Narla, Kalahandi district, Odisha and intended for distribution in Kolkata and nearby areas.
A case was registered at Maidan police station under Sections 20(B)(2)(B) and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985 .
All three accused were produced in court on Thursday ; detectives are investigating possible wider gang links.
The Narcotics Cell of the Kolkata Police Detective Department seized 14.559 kg of ganja and arrested three persons during a raid near the Dharmatala bus stand in central Kolkata on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, officials confirmed on Thursday. The suspects were apprehended near the PWD Site Office (South Division) adjoining the busy transport hub, following specific intelligence inputs.
Who Was Arrested
The three accused have been identified as Abdul Haque alias Babu (48), Anju Sheikh (32), and Attabur Sheikh (27) — all residents of Murshidabad district in West Bengal. Abdul Haque and Anju Sheikh are from the Keshabpur area under Islampur police station in Murshidabad, while Attabur Sheikh hails from Nandigram village under Ranitala police station in the same district.
How the Seizure Was Conducted
Officers of the Narcotics Cell carried out the raid in the Maidan Police Station area, recovering the contraband from the joint custody of all three suspects. Investigators followed prescribed legal procedures throughout, recording video evidence of the seizure in the presence of witnesses and gazetted officers.
A formal case was subsequently registered at Maidan police station on Thursday under Sections 20(B)(2)(B) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, on a complaint filed by Sub-Inspector Prashant Kumar Roy of the Narcotics Cell.
The Supply Chain: Odisha Link
During initial interrogation, the accused reportedly disclosed that the ganja had been sourced from Narla in Kalahandi district of Odisha. Their stated intent was to distribute the consignment to drug dealers across Kolkata and surrounding areas. The Kalahandi–Murshidabad–Kolkata corridor has been flagged in past narcotics seizures as an active transit route for cannabis trafficking into urban West Bengal.
What Happens Next
All three accused were produced before a court on Thursday. Detectives are now probing wider network links, specifically whether the trio had already established contact with other gang members in the city. Investigators are also looking into whether this was part of a larger or repeat operation along the same supply route.
Point of View
Yet enforcement remains largely reactive and intelligence-driven rather than route-based. Three low-rung carriers have been netted, but the pressing question — who commissioned the consignment and who was receiving it in Kolkata — remains unanswered. Until investigations reach upstream suppliers and downstream distributors, busts like this risk being a revolving door rather than a structural disruption to the supply chain.
NationPress
5 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Kolkata Dharmatala drug bust?
The Kolkata Police Narcotics Cell seized 14.559 kg of ganja near the Dharmatala bus stand in central Kolkata on 5 November 2025. The contraband was recovered from the joint custody of three suspects arrested during the operation.
Who were the three people arrested in the Kolkata ganja case?
The arrested individuals are Abdul Haque alias Babu (48), Anju Sheikh (32), and Attabur Sheikh (27), all residents of Murshidabad district in West Bengal. They were apprehended near the PWD Site Office adjoining the Dharmatala bus stand.
Where did the ganja originate, according to investigators?
During initial interrogation, the accused reportedly said the ganja was brought from Narla in Kalahandi district of Odisha. It was allegedly meant for onward sale to drug dealers in Kolkata and surrounding areas.
Under which law were the accused charged?
A case was registered at Maidan police station under Sections 20(B)(2)(B) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, based on a complaint by Sub-Inspector Prashant Kumar Roy of the Narcotics Cell.
What is the status of the investigation?
All three accused were produced in court on Thursday. The Kolkata Police Narcotics Cell is now investigating whether other members of the smuggling network are involved and whether the accused had already made contact with buyers in the city.
