237kg Ganja Case: Four Convicted in Lucknow PMLA Proceedings

A Special PMLA Court in Lucknow has convicted three accused and sentenced each to four years’ rigorous imprisonment in a money laundering case linked to the seizure of 237.40kg of ganja. The Enforcement Directorate said Shahid, Harswaroop and Brij Kishore alias Birju were convicted under Section 3 of the PMLA and fined ₹50,000 each under Section 4. A fourth accused, Deepak Rana, was convicted separately on September 9, 2026, bringing the total number of convictions linked to the proceedings to four.

Lucknow Drug Money Laundering Case Brings Four Convictions After 237kg Ganja Seizure

In the proceedings related to the seizure of 237.40kg ganja worth around Rs 14.24 lakh, a Special PMLA Court in Lucknow sentenced three accused to four years’ rigorous imprisonment.

A Special Court has convicted and sentenced three persons to four years' rigorous imprisonment under the PMLA in the Lucknow drugs money laundering case.

The convictions relate to narcotics proceeds allegedly generated through illicit trafficking post the seizure of 237.40kg ganja, said the Enforcement Directorate.

Shahid, Harswaroop and Brij Kishore alias Birju were convicted by the court under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

The Special Court sentenced each of them to four years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 under Section 4 of the PMLA.

All four accused have been convicted, the ED said, with a fourth accused, Deepak Rana, separately convicted on September 9, 2026.

DRI seizure triggered the money laundering investigation

The case arises out of the proceedings initiated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Lucknow, for interception of a truck carrying 237.40kg ganja.

In the details of the proceedings released by the Enforcement Directorate, the seized narcotic substance was worth about Rs 14.24 lakh.

Subsequently, the DRI filed a complaint on the seizure and transportation of the contraband, resulting in proceedings under the relevant narcotics laws.

Thereafter, the accused were convicted for the scheduled offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The DRI had later registered a case related to the narcotics seizure, on which the ED had initiated an investigation for money laundering.

During the course of its probe, the agency said the accused were involved in hiding, keeping and moving the money earned from illegal drug dealing.

The probe established activities involving proceeds of crime, bringing the alleged conduct within the ambit of the PMLA, the ED said.

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Lucknow drug money laundering case expands to four convictions

In another case, Deepak Rana was convicted on September 9, 2026, and awarded four years of rigorous imprisonment.

Rana was also fined Rs 50,000, bringing to four the number of convicted persons linked with the case.

The sentence is for proceedings for the underlying scheduled offence under the NDPS Act and subsequent action in relation to alleged proceeds of crime.

The PMLA gives a legal framework for the investigation and prosecution of money laundering of the proceeds of specified predicate offences.

In this case, the ED’s investigation focused on the alleged financial aspect of drug trafficking, not just on the physical seizure.

The agency said the proceedings emphasised the significance of monitoring proceeds made through narcotics-related offences and fighting financial networks supporting organised drug crime.

ED highlights focus on financial networks

The Enforcement Directorate hailed the outcome as a reaffirmation of its commitment to identifying and dismantling financial networks that fuel drug trafficking.

Targeting the proceeds of narcotics offences, the agency said, also allows authorities to target the financial underpinnings of organised criminal activity in addition to the underlying narcotics offences.

The development is therefore not only the seizure, but also that financial investigations can accompany prosecutions that arise from alleged drug trafficking.

The case highlights the intersection of narcotics enforcement, financial investigations and India’s statutory framework to combat money laundering for Sprouts News.

The recent convictions cap the prosecution of all four defendants named in the case, although the details available do not suggest any further developments beyond the sentencing.

It also illustrates how a narcotics seizure can result in separate legal proceedings if authorities assert that the proceeds from the narcotics are proceeds of crime.

Future developments will depend on any appeals, further court action, or enforcement action arising from the convictions and related property or financial investigations.