T’puram: A routine ganja seizure near Kovalam Porode bridge led police to a 23-year-old pending case when one of the four accused arrested with 3.6kg of the contraband was identified as a man who had been absconding since 2003.Naushad, 40, of Beemapally, was wanted in a case registered by Kovalam Police in 2003 for possessing explosive substances. “Naushad had been absconding in the case since 2003,” said inspector V M Sreekumar. The police said his relative Shamnad, who was also an accused in the case, continues to remain absconding.The old case came to light after the four-member group, arrested by the city Dansaf team and handed over to Vizhinjam Police, was subsequently transferred to Kovalam Police for further investigation. During verification of the accused, the police found that Naushad was an accused in the long-pending case.Naushad was arrested along with Seidali, 33, also a resident of Beemapally, autorickshaw driver Zulfiqar, 33, and Shefeeq, 51, who is staying on rent at Thiruvallom. The four were intercepted near Porode bridge on the Kazhakkoottam-Karode bypass on Monday evening with 3.6kg of ganja.During interrogation, the accused reportedly told the police that they had procured the ganja from Muniguda in Odisha. According to the police, the accused said small packets of ganja were available for around Rs 30 in Odisha. They allegedly brought the contraband to Thiruvananthapuram intending to sell it in smaller quantities at a higher price.The police said Naushad was previously involved in a ganja-related case as well. The team is now examining his previous criminal antecedents and probing the source of the contraband and its intended distribution network.The four accused were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.
