Kasaragod: The investigation into the seizure of 139.29 grams of MDMA from a group of Youth Congress workers has led Kerala Police to identify a Ghanaian national -- lodged at a transit house in Kollam -- as being on the “top rung”, allegedly taking orders for narcotics and arranging their delivery across India.

A special investigation team (SIT) of the Kasaragod Police picked up Victor Dzaba, the Ghanaian national, from a transit home at Kottiyam in Kollam district, where he was staying after being granted bail in two cases involving narcotics and vandalism. The SIT also arrested Riya Khan (31), who allegedly operates from Delhi and delivers contraband to Bengaluru and Kerala, said Kasaragod District Police Chief Nidhinraj P, who is overseeing the SIT's investigation. “Victor Dzaba is on the top rung of the network. We understand he runs the operation from the transit house and the money reaches the bank accounts of his associates," said the officer. Riya Khan is a carrier and works on a commission basis, he said. "She has multiple identities and addresses. She picks up the contraband from Delhi and delivers it to different parts of the country," Nidhinraj said.

Police said Riya Khan is a native of Lambha in Ahmedabad, and has addresses in Delhi and also at Narendrapur in West Bengal's Howrah district. “When she books a room, she uses the identity of Sathi Sheikh. She has another name, Rubiya,” the District Police Chief said.

Khan allegedly went into hiding after learning that Kerala Police were looking for her. She was subsequently traced to Gwalior and arrested by the SIT, which included Hosdurg Sub-Inspector Neethu Thachanchery.

Investigators alleged that Riya supplied MDMA to the three Youth Congress workers arrested by Chandera Police at Kalikadavu on the border of Kasaragod and Kannur districts on August 9.

Victor booked earlier
Victor’s passport was impounded by a court after he was arrested by Nadakkavu police in Kozhikode in 2022 in a narcotics case. Though he was later granted bail, he was lodged at the transit home in Kottiyam because he is a foreign national, his passport had been impounded, and he was facing charges under the NDPS Act. “Except for the restriction on his mobility, he is free to use the phone,” Nidhinraj said.

According to Kozhikode Police, Victor was linked to Khalid Abadi K (27), a native of Nadakkavu, who was allegedly caught with 57.63 grams of MDMA near the Kozhikode KSRTC bus stand on November 28, 2022.

Under the NDPS Act, 0.5 grams is considered a small quantity, while anything above 10 grams is classified as a commercial quantity. Section 22(c), which covers offences involving commercial quantities of psychotropic substances, carries 10 to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh upon conviction.

But on January 26 this year, Kottiyam Police booked Victor after he and three other African inmates allegedly created a ruckus at the transit home after a Nigerian national brought from Poojappura Central Jail was not admitted there.

They allegedly assaulted and threatened officials, spat on the Social Welfare Department’s chief security officer in Kollam and damaged public property worth around ₹10,000.

From Youth Congress workers to interstate network
The latest arrests have widened the Chandera investigation from the Youth Congress-linked accused in Kerala to an alleged supply chain operating across the country.

The first three accused -- Abdul Salam P A, Muhammad Hussain K H and Abbas P A -- are Youth Congress workers from Arakkappady near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam. Hussain was the president of the Youth Congress Vengola panchayat 142 booth committee.

Sainulabdeen E S, who was arrested subsequently, was described by police as being associated with Muhammad Sabir K (33), a native of Parappally near Ambalathara in Kasaragod. Sabir, arrested on August 19, was the fifth accused, and police described him as a key figure in the interstate network, alleging that he sourced narcotics from Bengaluru and Delhi.

The Youth Congress workers and the other men arrested earlier were allegedly peddlers whose operations were confined to Kerala, unlike Riya, whose alleged operations extended across the country, said police.

The case drew political attention because three of the first four accused were linked to the Youth Congress. The controversy intensified after photographs and videos of Abdul Salam with Chief Minister V D Satheesan circulated on social media.

Satheesan had acknowledged knowing Salam and Hussain and said he had visited Salam after he was attacked by police during the Nava Kerala March of the then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Satheesan denied allegations that the accused had handled his social media accounts.

The accused have also denied wrongdoing. When produced before the Kasaragod Sessions Court on August 20, Salam alleged that he had been called to a homestay in Payyannur and framed. Hussain also denied the allegations.

The 17-member SIT, led by Kanhangad DySP Anil Kumar M V, was formed to find the kingpin of the racket, said Nidhinraj. “The investigation is digging up more connections in the network. We will come up with more details,” Nidhinraj said.

Those arrested

• Abdul Salam P A (27), Arakkappady, Ernakulam
• Muhammad Hussain K H (28), Arakkappady, Ernakulam
• Abbas P A (50), Arakkappady, Ernakulam
• Sainulabdeen E S (42), Arakkappady, Ernakulam
• Muhammad Sabir K (33), Parappally, Kasaragod
• Riya Khan (31), Ahmedabad
• Victor Dzaba, Ghana