The seizure of one of the biggest consignments of heroin in India at Mundra port in Gujarat put a house in Vijaywada under radar. A couple Machavaram Sudhakar and Govindaraju Durga Purna Vaishali set up a shell company Aashi Trading to obtain import and export licenses for illegal smuggling.
Last week, the narcotics stock, valued at around Rs 20,900 crore, was seized by sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) from two shipping containers that had arrived from Afghanistan via Bandar Abbas port in Iran.
The Vijayawada house in the whole thing came to light as the ‘talcum powder’ consignment was imported by Aashi Trading Company and the address of which is the nondescript yellow-coloured house located on an isolated corner of Gadiyaramvari street in Satyanarayanapuram area of the city. The place was found to be rented in the name of the trading by a woman in Chennai named as Govindaraju Durga Purna Vaishali.
People staying in the neighbourhood said the place has remained shut since many months. However, prior to that, they do acknowledge that they have seen consignments being dropped and picked up from the place.
The company’s contact number is linked to one Machavaram Sudhakar, who is the husband of Vaishali and a native of Kakinada, said DRI sources. The couple has been staying in Chennai for the past eight years in a rented apartment in Kolapakam area of the city. Vaishali has been taken into custody by DRI, while Sudhakar, who is suspected to be prime accused, is on run.
The import and export license of the company is in the name of Vaishali, while its GST registration was done on August 18, 2020.
Vijaywada connection
The heroin in the guise of talcum powder was intended to reach Delhi, not Vijayawada. So far, there are no proof of any Vijayawada connection in the whole thing except the importing company’s address; said Vijayawada police commissioner B Sreenivasulu.
Shell company used for illegal smuggling
Barring the name and GST registration number of the firm, which was found to be typed on an A4 sheet paper and pasted on the wall of the house, there’s nothing in the vicinity to suggest that a company exists there.
There are no evidence of the presence of the company except the name and GST registration number of the firm, which was found to be typed on an A4 sheet paper and pasted on the wall of the house.
