Awami League Leader Arrested with Cannabis Plant in Manikganj

Police have arrested a local Awami League leader and practising lawyer after discovering a massive cannabis plant growing in the courtyard of his residence in Manikganj. The suspect, identified as Advocate Tofazzal Rahman Babu, was apprehended on Thursday afternoon alongside a woman accused of being involved in illicit activities on the premises.

The operation took place in the Porra neighbourhood, under the jurisdiction of the Manikganj Sadar Upazila. Law enforcement officials launched the raid following a tip-off from a distressed local resident. According to police reports, the man contacted authorities alleging that his wife had been lured to Babu’s residence for illicit purposes.

Before the police arrived at the scene, the husband had reportedly attempted to rescue his wife from the property. However, he was allegedly confronted and assaulted by Babu, who used a sharp knife to inflict injuries on him. Following this violent confrontation, the injured man managed to notify the local police station, prompting an immediate response from the authorities.

A team from the Manikganj Sadar Police Station raided the residence, detaining both the prominent lawyer and the woman found inside. During initial interrogation at the station, Babu confessed to cultivating cannabis on a plot of land situated at the back of his house. Armed with this confession, officers conducted a thorough search of the garden, where they discovered and uprooted a fully-grown cannabis plant weighing approximately seven kilogrammes.

The arrest of a prominent legal professional and political figure has sent shockwaves through the local community, raising serious concerns regarding the clandestine cultivation of narcotics within residential areas. Babu, the son of the late Lutfar Rahman, now faces a string of serious criminal charges.

Md Monir Hossain, the Officer-in-Charge of Manikganj Sadar Police Station, confirmed the details of the raid. He stated that the suspect was caught red-handed with the seven-kilogramme cannabis plant. Legal proceedings are currently under way, with cases being filed under the Narcotics Control Act alongside relevant sections of the penal code for assault with a deadly weapon. The police added that both detainees remain in custody as a thorough investigation continues to uncover the full extent of their activities.