Imphal, September 03: It was on August 12 that personnel of the 22 Assam Rifles seized 8.6 tonnes of ganja from a truck camouflaged as a security vehicle near Makhan on NH-39 under Mao police station.

However today no one seems to know what has happened to the seized ganja which was estimated to cost Rs 2.15 crore in the international market.

The report, which was issued by the PIB (Defence Wing) was published in the August 14 edition of this paper complete with a picture of the seized truck.

The report had also stated that three occupants of the truck were attired in battle fatigues.

With the Assam Rifles reportedly not intimating the seizure to the authority concerned and failing to follow necessary norms after the seizure, State law enforcing agencies and the Narcotics Central Bureau have started to smell a rat.

When The Sangai Express contacted a highly placed source in the State Police Department, the officer said that since no official intimation of the seized ganja was submitted to the police, the SP of Narcotics and Affairs of Borders was asked to find out the matter.

Subsequently the SP of NAB wrote to the SP of Senapati police and to the CO of 22 Assam Rifles yesterday, said the source.

On the other hand the Narcotics Control Bureau, a Central agency that deals with tackling drug related matters, too remains in the dark over the matter.

�I learnt about the seizure of the ganja through the news report carried by The Sangai Express but so far no intimation has been furnished to us by the Assam Rifles,� a senior officer of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Imphal unit said when contacted by The Sangai Express.

�According to the rules and norms, the seized consignment should be handed over to the nearest police station or other offices concerned within the least possible time.

However it seems the huge consignment of ganja has not been handed over to the appropriate authority,� added the senior officer.

�This being the case, the regional unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau will soon despatch an intimation over the prolonged silence of the Assam Rifles to the Director General of AR,� informed the officer.

When The Sangai Express contacted the PRO of Assam Rifles, the officer said he would gather the necessary information from the unit concerned, but calls made to the office of the PRO later met with the line, �the PRO is engaged� many times.

The PRO of PIB (Defence Wing) on being contacted informed that the ganja consignment was burnt the next day in front of some police officials and civilian population.

The truck is still with the Assam Rifles at Maram, said the PRO adding that the AR authority is waiting for the people concerned to come forward and claim it.

The PRO further said that video footage of the ganja being burnt is available at his office.

The truck was found abandoned, said the PRO and added that no one was arrested.

Significantly, the Officer-incharge of Mao police station said that the Assam Rifles had not officially lodged any written complaint over the huge seizure of the ganja and hence no FIR case has been registered.

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