Goa Police recovers narcotics from villa leased to I-PAC, one member arrested

Panaji, February 12: The Goa Police arrested a member of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) after narcotic substances were allegedly recovered from a villa leased to Prashant Kishor-led political advocacy group. The 28-year-old I-PAC member was arrested from Porvorim in Goa.

According to Goa Police, in a series of raids at bungalows in Porvorim, narcotics substances suspected to be 'ganja' were recovered. Of the raided villas, 8 were leased out to I-PAC. From one of these eight I-PAC villas, narcotic substances were recovered, the police said. A case has been registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

This development comes only two days before Goa is set to vote in the Assembly election 2022. The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), a newcomer in Goan politics, is contesting the election with I-PAC as its advisor. In fact, a senior I-PAC official recently said, "I-PAC is regularly working for the TMC in Goa where Assembly elections are scheduled to happen."

Also Read | NCB arrests drug lord Sahil Shah in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput case

The Goa Assembly election 2022 will be held on February 14. The last assembly polls (in 2017) in Goa were held in a single phase, wherein the Congress won 17 of the 40 constituencies while the BJP bagged 13. However, the Congress lost out on forming the government to the saffron party.