Goa: Narcotics recovered from villa leased to I-PAC, one member arrested

New Delhi: Goa Police on Friday night arrested one member of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), as narcotics were reportedly recovered from a villa leased to the Prashant Kishor-led political advocacy group.

The 28-year-old I-PAC member was arrested from Porvorim in Goa.

According to the state police, raids were conducted at multiple locations including bungalows in Porvorim. Narcotics substances suspected to be ‘cannabis’ have been recovered. Out of the bungalows raided on Friday, eight were leased out to I-PAC.

A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The recent development comes just two days before Goa votes for Assembly election 2022. The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) is contesting the election for the first time in the state with I-PAC as its advisor.

A senior I-PAC official told news daily India Today, “”I-PAC is regularly working for the TMC in Goa where Assembly elections are scheduled to happen.”

Meanwhile, Assembly election in Goa will be held on February 14 in a single phase.

In the last assembly polls held in 2017, Congress had won 17 out of the 40 constituencies while the BJP had nabbed only 13, yet the saffron party had managed to form the government in the state later.