01 February,2026 10:27 AM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
The key accused, Akash Jadhav is seen handling a king cobra.
What appeared to be a story of wildlife rescue on social media has turned into a major drug bust on the ground. Chhattisgarh Police on Friday exposed a Rs 2.6 crore ganja trafficking network under âOperation Nishchay', allegedly led by a man who projected himself online as a snake rescuer and wildlife conservationist.
Police seized 520 kg of ganja and arrested nine people from Odisha and Maharashtra, uncovering a well-planned supply chain that used multiple routes and local contacts to move drugs across state lines.
The key accused, Akash Jadhav from Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, known online as "Sarpamitra Akash Jadhav", had built a large social media following through snake rescue videos. Investigators allege that he played a central role in coordinating the transportation of consignments from Odisha to Maharashtra, while maintaining a public image centred on conservation work.
The case came to light following specific intelligence inputs about a large drug consignment headed for Maharashtra.
Acting on the tip-off, teams from the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and Mahasamund district police intercepted the network, leading to the seizure of ganja worth approximately Rs 2.6 crore. Police said the racket had been active for at least a year and had moved several consignments during this period.
Further investigation is underway to identify additional links in the network.
