Minister's Brother Caught in Ganja Smuggling Scandal: BJP Under Fire

The brother of Madhya Pradesh minister Pratima Bagri has been arrested for ganja smuggling, sparking political controversy. The Congress accuses the BJP government of nepotism. Police seized 46 kg of ganja and identified connections to Bagri's relatives. Investigations continue to uncover the drug network's full extent.

The brother of Pratima Bagri, a minister in the Madhya Pradesh government, was apprehended for his alleged involvement in ganja smuggling, authorities revealed on Tuesday. This incident has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress, which targeted the BJP administration, being showcased in a video shared on social platform X. In the footage, Bagri, who is the Minister of State for Urban Development and Housing, can be heard chastising a reporter for inquiring about the arrest, dismissing it as trivial.

Police acted on a tip-off, leading to the recovery of 46 kg of ganja stored in rice sacks at Pankaj Singh Baghel's residence in Maroha. The contraband is valued at Rs 9,22,680. Anil Bagri, Pratima's brother, allegedly supplied the ganja along with another suspect, Shailendra Singh, according to Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Premlal Kurve. Following the information, Anil Bagri was arrested, and the vehicle used in the operation was seized. The accused are now facing charges under the NDPS Act.

Meanwhile, another accused suspect has yet to be apprehended. Police sources report the prior arrest of Shailendra Singh Semmu, the minister's brother-in-law, with 10.4 kg of ganja seized by Naraini police on December 3. The investigation is ongoing to trace the supply chain of the ganja and its intended recipients. State Congress president Jitu Patwari criticized the BJP leadership on social media, pointing to a pattern of ministerial relatives' involvement in illicit activities. The opposition party described it as a 'BJP-related network' active in Madhya Pradesh, challenging the ruling party's accountability on drug trafficking issues.