Telangana HC upholds PD Act against Angoori Bai in ganja cases

The Telangana High Court upheld the Preventive Detention Act invoked against Angoori Bai, alleged kingpin of Dhoolpet ganja network. Accused in over a dozen NDPS cases, she was said to be running a multi-crore drug racket

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has refused to grant relief to Angoori Bai alias Aruna Bai, the alleged kingpin of Dhoolpet ganja network in Hyderabad.

The division bench comprising justice Moushumi Bhatta Charya and justice Gadi Praveen Kumar upheld the Preventive Detention Act (PD Act) invoked against her by the State Excise Police.

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Angoori Bai is reportedly wanted in at least 13 cases related to Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS). The allegations involve that she has network of about 150 people along with 15 family members for operating ganja supply across the city.

The excise enforcement wing alleged that the accused drug trade runs into crores of rupees and despite there being multiple cases, Angoori Bai was absconding for a long time. The département therefore constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to trace and arrest her as part of ‘Operation Dhoolpet’.

One Roshinidevi had approached the HC challenging the Hyderabad District Collector’s March 10 order, which issued direction to detain Angoori Bai under PD Act and the consequent State government GO issued on March 15, confirming the order.

The petitioner’s counsel alleged that the Excise Department, unable to prove the false cases lodged against Angoori Bai, had invoked PD Act in an illegal manner.

The government advocate, on the other hand, argued that there were multiple cases pending against the accused and if she’s not apprehended under the PD Act, she will continue to commit crimes and cause law and order problems.

The bench conceded with the stance of the government advocate and observed that her activities posed a grave threat to public order and justified preventive action to curb the illegal narcotics trade. Accordingly, the bench upheld the State’s action in invoking the PD Act and dismissed the petition.