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Former CBI officer in a spot

Kolkata May 19. The high-profile former CBI additional director, U. N. Biswas, landed in the thick of controversy today after officials of the Narcotics Control Bureau recovered 24 kg of a psychotropic substance, used in making a heroin substitute and valued at Rs. 5 crores in the market, from five foreigners staying in his house here with his tenants.

Acting on a tip-off from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, NCB sleuths raided Mr. Biswas' house in the Salt Lake area on Saturday and arrested two Chinese and three Myanmarese, and recovered the "controlled" substance, the NCB Assistant Director (East), N.C. Patra, told presspersons. Baiktha Kima, Laltan Puta and Lalsanga (Myanmarese), and Chen Fulun and Wen delong (Chinese), had been sent to judicial remand till June 2 by the Special Judge, Soumya Seth, Mr. Patra said adding that they possessed fake licences, fake passports, a huge quantity of foreign currency and a mobile phone.

"The five were gathering materials and raw materials for producing ATS (amphetamine-type stimulant), a heroin substitute. Initial stocking was being made at the ground floor of the house, though it is yet to be ascertained where they set up the laboratory required for the purpose," he said.

The NCB was in touch with the Union Home Ministry.

Apart from ephydrine hydrochloride, used for making ATS, the NCB also seized equipment used for making drugs.

He said the major catch proved the presence of the powerful Myanmarese drug cartel in this part of the country.

Mr. Patra said this was the third major haul of ephidrine hydrochlorine at the international level in this year. Five kg of the substance was seized in the U S in January last, followed by a similar seizure in China.Now this controlled psychotropic substance had been found here, he said.

During questioning by NCB officials, Mr. Biswas, who had headed the probe into the multi-crore fodder scam involving the former Bihar Chief Minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav, expressed ignorance about the operation of a drug cartel from his house and denied knowing the five foreigners.

He said he had actually rented the apartment to N. Thanga, a Mizo, on the basis of a "certificate issued by Mizoram Government" and brought to him by a lady from the Mizoram House here in February last.

Failing to recollect who the signatory was in the certificate, he said he also had no knowledge of the whereabouts of Thanga.

To a question, Mr. Biswas said he did not rule out a conspiracy in the matter. "However, I am not saying anything more since I am no longer in service."Peeved at the way the NCB conducted the raid,Mr. Biswas said he was not informed during the search in the ground floor. "After hearing some queer noises, I came down to the ground floor to find out what was on. It was only then that I was told of the matter. Those conducting the search revealed their identity only on my enquiry," he said.

Laloo for high-level probe

In Patna, Mr. Laloo Yadav demanded a high-level inquiry into the seizure of 24 kg of ATS from the premises of Mr. Biswas. Pointing out that "a high-level inquiry alone can bring to light the truth", Mr. Yadav disputed Mr. Biswas' claim that he did not know the background of his tenants.

PTI

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