New Delhi: Forget double-chocolate or vanilla crunch. The hottest treat rolling through some localities in central Delhi didn’t come with sprinkles; it came with a high.Under the guise of a humble ice cream vendor, 53-year-old Manoj Kumar Rai, a resident of Ghanta Ghar, allegedly peddled a strain of refreshment near Ramlila Maidan that didn’t just beat the heat; it got his customers melted. But Rai’s sweet gig ended after local cops caught wind of his true flavours.The familiar ‘tring-tring’ of Rai’s bicycle bell acted like a siren song for local youngsters, who would rush to his bicycle every evening. Unsuspecting onlookers wondered why young men had suddenly developed a daily addiction to this particular ice cream seller.It was around 5.30pm on Aug 8 when beat officer Suraj was conducting routine pre-Independence Day patrols in the area that a distinct scent began wafting through the air. The cops were quick to figure out that it was the pungent aroma of high-grade cannabis emanating directly from the “ice cream” vendor’s carry bag.Trusting his nose over the ice cream bell, the cop immediately alerted the Kamla Market control room. A team comprising ASI Rajesh and the local SHO rushed to the scene. Following standard procedure under NDPS Act, the police officers searched Rai’s haul and uncovered 1,300 grams of contraband ganja neatly packaged inside his bag.“During interrogation, Rai admitted that the lure of easy money to escape poverty led him to mix business with leisure,” joint CP Madhur Verma said.DCP Rohit Rajbir Singh said Rai has been booked under Section 20 of NDPS Act and presented in court. “He was remanded to one-day police custody,” he added.Investigators are probing the source of the contraband and tracking down Rai’s suppliers to ascertain if he was part of a larger network. His call details and transaction history are being examined, according to sources.
