Hyderabad: More than a year after anti-drug investigators attached properties worth nearly Rs 30 crore belonging to an alleged synthetic drug manufacturer, the accused — a PhD holder in organic chemistry — has once again come under the scanner. This time, the scrutiny is not over drugs but over his alleged role in orchestrating a local electoral victory. The Medak district resident, arrested three times for his alleged role in manufacturing Alprazolam, recently ensured his wife’s victory in a sarpanch election.Investigators now suspect that the accused, who was released on bail in Oct 2025 after spending nearly six months in jail, spent lavishly during the run-up to the election. According to officials, villagers were allegedly hosted with elaborate food and liquor for nearly two weeks during the campaign.What has left anti-drug agency sleuths puzzled is how the accused managed to mobilise funds despite the EAGLE (Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement) unit attaching his properties worth about Rs 30 crore last year as part of a crackdown on the synthetic drug network.Officials say the accused, despite the legal action, remained actively involved in the campaign that saw his wife win the sarpanch post.The man has been accused of manufacturing Alprazolam and was arrested three times by Medak and Cyberabad police since 2021. Investigators say the drug produced by him was supplied to several toddy compounds in and around Medak through his brother-in-law, a police constable.“We attached 17 properties worth Rs 30 crore by approaching the competent court in Chennai. It looks like he has benamis, through whom he pooled money. While his wife contested, the accused actively played a role in her victory,” sources in EAGLE told TOI.Investigators had earlier uncovered the alleged network while probing the role of the constable. When he was arrested last year for allegedly colluding with his brother-in-law, officials found that his mobile phone contained daily updates on sales at toddy compounds.These outlets were allegedly used to mix Alprazolam with toddy before selling it to customers. In the bulk market, one kilogram of Alprazolam can fetch around Rs 10 lakh. Just one gram of the drug can be used to spike nearly 2,000 bottles of toddy.Officials say several toddy centres linked to the network were involved in illegal activities. The candidature of the accused’s wife, they added, was backed by a political party.Investigators allege that the sarpanch’s husband played a key role in manufacturing the drug by using the premises of different companies in locations such as Vijayawada and Cherlapally.In one of the four criminal cases registered against him, the accused is alleged to have manufactured nearly 80 kg of Alprazolam.
