Nagpur: Hudkeshwar Police arrested a 26-year-old man and seized 728 grams of ganja allegedly being carried for sale near Siddheshwari Nagar on Sunday night. The police also seized two motorcycles, a mobile phone and cash, taking the total value of the seized property to ₹2.32 lakh.

According to police, the Hudkeshwar team received reliable information between 10.20 pm and 11.25 pm on September 13 that two men were waiting with their motorcycles in an open ground near the Siddheshwari Nagar slum area to allegedly sell ganja.

Acting on the information, police conducted a raid in the presence of witnesses. The two suspects were found waiting suspiciously near the spot with a Yamaha R15 (MH-40-AG-8255) and a Hero Splendor (MH-49-CH-0267).

When police attempted to apprehend them, the man riding the Splendor allegedly took advantage of the darkness, abandoned his motorcycle and fled.

The other suspect was detained and identified as Akash Suryabhan Ugle (26), a resident of Dhangawali Nagar, Pimpla Road, Hudkeshwar. During a search of a bag attached to his motorcycle, police allegedly found 728 grams of green-coloured, pungent-smelling ganja.

Police seized the contraband, ₹170 in cash, a mobile phone and both motorcycles, with the total value of the seized property estimated at ₹2,32,010.

During questioning, Ugle allegedly identified the absconding suspect as his accomplice, Nageshwar alias Sonu Shyamrao Masram, a resident of Vishwakarma Nagar, Nagpur.

A case has been registered at Hudkeshwar Police Station under Sections 8(c), 20(b), 11A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Ugle has been arrested, while police are searching for Masram and conducting further investigation.

The action was carried out under the guidance of DCP Rashmita Rao (Zone 4) and ACP Narendra Hivare (Ajni Division) by PI Anamika Mirzapure, PSI Chanda Dandwate, PSI Sumedhkumar Jadhav and their team.