Mysore/Mysuru: Alleging that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was acting as an agent of the BJP, KPCC Spokesperson M. Lakshmana yesterday said, the agency was deliberately targeting Mysuru and projecting it as a drug manufacturing hub to tarnish the image of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Addressing media persons at the City Congress Bhavan yesterday, Lakshmana said, NCB officials had intercepted a Toyota Fortuner bearing Karnataka registration number KA-20-P-6767 at Palsana in Gujarat on Jan. 28 and recovered certain materials, none of which were proven to be narcotic substances.

He said, this was evident from the remand application submitted before a Mysuru Court seeking custody of the accused, Ganpath Lal.

“The remand application states that NCB officials recovered 41.21 kg of crystalline and powder substances suspected to be mephedrone (MD) and 1.784 kg of blackish substances suspected to be opium. However, the media statement issued by the NCB on Jan. 30 claimed that about 35 kg of mephedrone had been seized. This clearly contradicts the details mentioned in the remand application filed before the Court,” Lakshmana alleged.

He further claimed that crystalline substances are commonly used in the manufacture of semiconductors, microchips and solar cells, and pointed out that the remand application did not mention seizure of any narcotic substances from Mysuru.

“Instead, the NCB press release dated Jan. 30 stated that raids were conducted at a suspected drug manufacturing unit in the Hebbal Industrial Area using modern machinery and that about 500 kg of chemicals were recovered. This was aimed solely at bringing a bad reputation to Mysuru, the hometown of CM Siddaramaiah,” he alleged.

Taking a dig at Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Lakshmana said that the MP lacked information and was misleading the public.

“He is only spoiling the reputation of his forefathers, who contributed immensely to the development of Mysore. After being elected as MP, several development projects, including the Mysuru-Kushalnagar railway line, the PRASHAD scheme and the Unity Mall project, have been stalled,” he claimed.

Lakshmana further alleged that drug hubs were concentrated in North India and accused the MP of falsely implicating Mysuru in an attempt to outdo his predecessor by spreading misinformation.