Used to consume drugs earlier, but no connection with brown sugar seizure, says Nana Patwari

Indore, Jul 10 (PTI) A day after the police questioned him in connection with the seizure of brown sugar in Indore, Nana Patwari, the younger brother of Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari, said on Friday that he used to consume drugs around four years back, but had nothing to do with the present case. He also alleged that he was being targeted for political reasons and that being the younger brother of the Congress leader was his only mistake. Officials said that following the arrest of two accused in connection with the seizure of approximately 11 grams of brown sugar in Indore on Thursday, police detained Nana Patwari alias Kulbhushan Patwari and released him late at night after questioning him throughout the day. According to police, during their interrogation, the arrested accused told the investigators that they were going to deliver the consignment of brown sugar to two persons named Nana Patwari and Manav Gangwani. The police also said that Nana Patwari has a previous case registered against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Vijay Nagar police station in the city and that he himself used to consume drugs. Talking to reporters, Nana Patwari said he had no connection with the current case of the brown sugar seizure. "I was taking (drugs) three or four years ago. I made a mistake. For the last two or three years, I haven't touched these things. I don't even drink alcohol now," he said. However, Patwari did not specify what kind of drugs he used to take earlier. The younger brother of the state Congress president alleged that he was being targeted for political reasons. "My only mistake is that I am Jitu Patwari's younger brother," he alleged. When he made this statement, his elder brother and state Congress president, Jitu Patwari, was sitting next to him. The Congress leader then alleged that government agencies were being misused against him and his family as a political vendetta for raising public issues. Congress general secretary and in-charge of Madhya Pradesh affairs, Harish Chaudhary, alleged that an attempt was being made to frame the state Congress president's younger brother in a false brown sugar case at the instigation of the ruling BJP. On the admission of drug use by Nana Patwari a few years ago, Chaudhary said he was unaware of the statement and would be able to comment only after fully understanding the context. The Rajendra Nagar police in Indore on Thursday arrested Irfan Khan alias Golu Chanderi and Sanjay Kaushal alias Ronnie Bhai and seized 10.8 grams of brown sugar and a sports utility vehicle (SUV) were recovered from their possession. An FIR was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in connection with the seizure of the drug. PTI HWP LAL NP