Times of India
01 September 2010
Ahmedabad, India

Three get 12–year jail in 2002 mandrax case
A Valsad sessions court on Tuesday awarded 12 years of imprisonment and fine of Rs 1 lakh each to three accused in mandrax seizure case, 2002. It was the biggest seizure of artificial drugs in the state, said Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials.

According to Ahmedabad zonal office of NCB, two units – Garden Kalash and Harshal Chemicals – were raided by officials following specific intelligence about production of contraband in veil of chemical business. Upon raid, officials found a large unit ready to manufacture methaqualone powder, popularly known as mandrax, and seized a total of 2,535 kg of the drug.

PN Sarvaiya, superintendent of NCB, Ahmedabad, told TOI that NCB had apprehended four accused in the case.

"We had arrested Mansukh Bhatt, owner of the units and a resident of Mumbai; Rohit Desai, a resident of Vapi and drugmaker; along with Prabhakar Salvi and Kirit Rana, both residents of Valsad, for assisting the process of drug making. Salvi died during his imprisonment. The three othershave been convicted on Tuesday for their crime," he said.

According to NCB officials, it was an important judgement. "Gujarat has many chemical factories and drug producing units. Some can be exploited to produce contraband and supply it outside the country. Two years back, we had busted a major methamphitamine producing unit near Vadodara. The verdict will serve as an eye–opener for such criminals," said a senior NCB official.

Pvt banks can accept income tax dues: The Reserve Bank of India has, in a statement, stated that in addition to opening extra counters at RBI offices, designated branches of State Bank of India, nationalised banks, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank are also authorised to accept payment of income tax dues in cash or cheque. RBI has asked the assessees to avail these additional facilities.