Bhopal, Oct 9 (IANS): Madhya Pradesh Congress Youth Wing on Wednesday staged a protest, alleging that one of three accused arrested in connection with drug manufacturing was associated with Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda.

Congress workers burnt Devda's effigy and demanded his resignation at Roshanpura Chowk in Bhopal. A similar protest was organised in other parts of the state, including in Devda's home district Mandsaur.

Youth Congress leader and spokesperson Vivek Tripathi said that Harish Anjana, one of the three accused arrested in the case, has been associated with Jagdish Devda.

"Being Deputy Chief Minister, Devda can misuse his power to affect the investigation, therefore, he should resign until the investigation is underway," Tripathi added.

Notably, MP Police had arrested Harish Anjana, in connection with a drug case and handed him to Gujarat ATS for further questioning last week.

Following the arrest, Madhya Pradesh Congress has shared multiple photos of Harish Anjana with Devda, showing the duo sharing even lighter moments and a table for a meal besides normal greetings. Since then, the Congress has been demanding Devda's resignation.

However, Devda had ruled out Congress' allegation claiming he has no connection with Harish Anjana and those photographs are of the meeting during a programme. MP BJP unit has also stood in support of Devda, alleging the Congress was trying to defame the BJP government.

Anjana was arrested from Mandsaur a day after the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Delhi, in a joint raid at the factory located in Bagroda industrial estate on the outskirts of Bhopal and seized MD drug weighing 907.09 kg worth Rs 1,814 crore on Saturday.

In addition to the contraband, around 5,000 kg of raw materials, including chemicals and equipment, used for producing MD, were also seized in the factory.

This was said to be the largest illegal factory ever busted by the Gujarat ATS. Two persons, identified as Amit Chaturvedi (57) and Sanyal Prakash Bane (40), were arrested during the raid.