Excise officers in Hyderabad arrested Aruna Bai, alias Angoori Bai, on Thursday, 12 December 2024.[1] She was arrested in the Karwan area, where officers caught her during Operation Dhoolpet, a drive to make the Dhoolpet area drug-free.[1] The Hindu reported that about a dozen excise officials arrested her as she stepped out of her house to meet her daughter.[2]

She was earlier arrested in 13 ganja peddling cases and was out on bail when she was picked up.[1] The Times of India reported that she was involved in 10 cases, which were at different stages of investigation and before the courts, and that she continued her drug business meanwhile.[1] Her family members are also involved in drug peddling and face several cases in different parts of the city, excise officials said.[1] Deccan Chronicle reported that she and 15 family members ran a ring of 150 peddlers with a turnover of crores of rupees.[3]

Deccan Chronicle said she did not carry a mobile phone so that she could not be tracked, and that many of her earlier escapes were made through the rear door of her house in Mangalhat.[3] Excise director V.B. Kamalasan Reddy said a special investigation team was formed and finally arrested her in Karwan.[3] In the same drive, excise officers identified 15 families of about 150 people in the ganja business, booked 69 cases and arrested more than 110 peddlers and suppliers in the preceding two months, the director said.[3] The director said the department would also seize properties of accused people who earned income from the sale of narcotics and file more than 100 pending charge sheets.[3]

The Times of India said the director appreciated the Karwan excise police station and excise task force teams for arresting her.[1]