Tihar Dentist arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into jail

New Delhi: A dentist has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle marijuana inside the Tihar Jail in west Delhi, police said.

Information was received on Wednesday from Tihar Jail officials about the recovery of tobacco and ganja (marijuana) from one inmate Vikas Jha and visiting dentist Dr Varun Goel, a senior police officer said.

Goel had brought tobacco and ganja inside the jail and was handing over it to Jha and Tihar Jail officials noticed it. Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Ghanshyam Bansal said.

A total of 38 grams of ganja was recovered from Goel and 44 grams from Jha. Goel works with the Tihar Jail on a contractual basis, he said. Tihar DG Sandeep Goel said the doctor has only been working with the jail for a few months.

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A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 has been registered at Hari Nagar police station and Goel has been arrested, police said.

Action against Jha has also been initiated and further investigation is in progress, they added.

"The dentist had come to visit an inmate, Vikas Jha, and was caught by officials while he was handing over the drugs to Vikas. A total of 38 gm ganja was recovered from Varun and 44 gm from Vikas," said DCP Sandeep Goel. 

Explaining more about the incident, a jail official told The Indian Express "Though he had passed the security check, his behaviour was suspicious. He had visited a group of inmates but was found sitting with one. When we asked him about this, he did not give a reasonable answer. He was frisked by the staff and they found the drugs. The inmate was also caught. We suspect that this has happened before for money, and are conducting an enquiry."

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