Mandsaur: Police have claimed that Kanhaiya Lal Patidar, one of the five farmers shot dead in the district, was booked for drug trafficking four times and was absconding in one case.
SP Manoj Singh told reporters on Saturday that Patidar had been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) several times.
According to Town Inspector Vinod Kushwaha, Patidar (38) was booked for drug trafficking four times between 2001 and 2011.
In the first three cases, registered under different police stations, he was granted bail, while he was absconding following the fourth FIR at Neemuch Cantt police station.
The first FIR was registered against him at Narayangarh police station in 1994 when he was caught allegedly trafficking opium.
In 2001, he was nabbed with smack worth Rs 4.5 crore and an FIR was registered against him at Mandsaur police station.
In 2011, two cases were registered in YD Nagar and Neemuch Cantt police stations when he was allegedly caught in possession of 11 quintal and 22 quintal poppy husk respectively.
He was absconding since then, police said.
