Over 1,100 kg of gutka, banned in Delhi and meant to be distributed illegally in Kerala, were seized here and two men, including a graduate, arrested police said today.
Bhagwati Kumar (42), a graduate hailing from Bihar, and his servant Sanjay were apprehended yesterday following a tip off that some people will be ferrying gutka in a train to Kerala.
Sanjay was the first to be arrested from New Delhi railway station and 24 cartons of gutka were recovered from him.
His interrogation led to his employer Kumar, who is claimed to have confessed that he procured the seized gutka from Hubli in Karnatka.
"He supplies gutka to various states. He told us that he is a manufacturer of pan masala and has a factory in Rithala here. He was doing this illegal trade of tobacco gutka under the garb of pan masala since pan masala is not a banned item.
"The seized lot of banned gutkha was being sent to Thiruvanthapuram although, it is a banned item there," Ravindra Yadav, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), said.
Gutka has been banned in Delhi since September 11, 2012.
