HC upholds invoking PD Act on ‘ganja lady don’ Angoori Bai

The Telangana High Court has upheld the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against Angoori Bai, the alleged mastermind behind a massive ganja drug racket operating in Hyderabad’s Dhoolpet area. Known locally as the ‘Ganja Lady Don,’ Angoori Bai, also called Aruna Bai, is accused in over two dozen Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases and is reportedly running a multi-crore ganja smuggling network.

The drug network allegedly involves about 150 distributors, including 15 family members, who supply marijuana across Hyderabad.

The excise enforcement department claims the racket generates crores in illegal revenue, disrupting public order and safety. Despite being previously caught and released on bail multiple times, Angoori Bai continued her illicit trade, evading police through clandestine means, like avoiding mobile phones to prevent tracking.

Following her detention under the PD Act on March 10, 2025, by the Hyderabad District Collector based on a proposal from the Prohibition and Excise Department, Angoori Bai's family challenged the order in court.

However, the High Court’s division bench, comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice Gadi Praveen Kumar, rejected the plea on October 28, 2025, agreeing with the government that the detention was necessary to curb law and order issues and protect public health.

The court concluded that Angoori Bai’s continued involvement in the drug trade posed a grave threat to community safety, justifying preventive detention to halt her operations.

The Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department has praised the coordinated efforts of its task forces in tracking down the kingpin and continuing the crackdown on the Dhoolpet drug network.

Authorities have also intensified efforts to prosecute members of the syndicate. They are moving to seize assets acquired through the illegal drug trade, Telangana’s fight against narcotics, as the state continues to target major offenders like Angoori Bai, who perpetuate the widespread ganja epidemic in the city.