Mumbai: The Sakinaka police, in a joint operation with the Mysuru police, have dismantled an interstate drug racket and disbanded a factory in Mysore, Karnataka. Mephedrone (MD, a psychotropic substance) worth Rs 390 crore has been seized by a joint team, and eight persons arrested from Mumbai, Gujarat, and Mysuru.

Deputy Commissioner Of Police (Zone 10) Datta Nalawade’s Statement

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 10) Datta Nalawade said the gang was active in Mumbai and its outskirts. Out of the eight accused, three were involved in similar cases for several years. Sixteen cases related to the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act and physical assault were registered against one of the accused.

The police did not reveal the identities of all the accused, as the investigation is in its preliminary stage. They suspect that more people may be involved in the racket. The case was first registered by the Sakinaka police on April 24 and one Sadiq Shaikh, 27, a resident of Bandra West, was arrested in Sakinaka for possessing drugs intended for sale.

At the time, police seized 52gm of MD from him. During interrogation, the involvement of three more accused came to light. Initially, four were arrested from Mumbai, Gujarat, and Mysuru. Later, another four were arrested from the raided factory site in Mysuru. After the first arrest, the police seized an additional 4.53kg of MD worth Rs 8 crore from Kaman village in Vasai from two accused. One of them, Siraj Panjwani, 28, resides in Mira Road. On July 25, another arrest was made; that of Salim Shaikh alias Slim Langda, 45, a resident of Bandra Reclamation, who revealed the factory’s location.

On July 26, a Sakinaka police team led by investigating officer Dayanand Walave conducted a raid at the factory near Belavatha, in the Ring Road area of Mysuru, operating out of a blue cement shed. DCP Nalawade added, “There was a garage and a stall set up in front of the factory, with the actual drug production taking place behind it in an isolated space. We seized various chemicals, ovens, heaters, and other equipment. The contraband weighed 192.53kg, worth Rs 390 crore in the international market.”

He added that the police are probing whether this gang has any links to other drug manufacturing units dismantled in western Maharashtra and Nashik in the past many months. The court has sent four of the accused to judicial custody, while the other four, who were arrested on July 27, have been remanded to police custody for two days. Meanwhile, the Mysuru Commissioner of Police Seema Latkar has suspended the Narasimharaja police station inspector, Lakshmikanth Talawar, for dereliction of duty, under whose jurisdiction the factory is located.

Karnataka home minister Dr G. Parameshwar called it a “disturbing development”, as Mysuru is said to be a quiet place bereft of such activities. He added, “With the factory being unearthed, we are taking strict action against such activities. Even our police are investigating various angles of the incident.”

Palghar: In a significant operation against human trafficking, Palghar police have uncovered a prostitution racket being run from a residential flat in Naigaon, Vasai. Three Bangladeshi nationals were arrested, and two victims, including a minor girl, were rescued, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

About The Case

Acting on a tip-off, the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell of the Mira Bhayander–Vasai Virar police conducted a raid on July 26 at a flat in Naigaon, located in the Vasai area.

According to ACP (Crime) Madan Ballal, officers found a minor girl at the scene who was allegedly being pushed into the flesh trade. A 21-year-old woman, also a victim of the racket, was rescued from the same premises.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Khalid Bapari, Juber Harun Sheikh, and Shamin Gaffar Sardar, all Bangladeshi nationals. Police say the victims, too, are from Bangladesh and were reportedly trafficked into India and forced into sex work.

Both victims have been shifted to a shelter run by the Rescue Foundation for their care and rehabilitation.

An FIR has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 96 (procuration of child), 98 (selling child for purposes of prostitution), 143(3) and 143(4) (trafficking), and 144 (exploitation of trafficked person). Additional charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act have also been applied.

The investigation is ongoing.

Mumbai: In the alleged arsenic and thallium poisoning deaths of businessman Kamalkant Shah and his mother Sarladevi in August-September 2022, the court has framed murder and conspiracy charges in the case, paving way for the trial to commence.

About The Case

The deceased’s wife Kavita Shah and her alleged partner Hitesh Jain pleaded ‘not guilty’ on Monday. The two are accused of lacing the food of the deceased with poisonous metals, causing slow, painful death. While framing the charges, the court said that it heard arguments from the prosecution and defence, and is “of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that Shah and Jain have committed an offence punishable under Section 302 (murder), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 201 (destruction of evidence) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, which are exclusively triable by the sessions court”.

The court read over the charges to the two accused and also explained them. As per the case, Kavita was in a relationship with Jain, who too is an accused in the crime. Kamalkant became seriously ill and died on September 19, 2022, while his mother, Sarla, passed away earlier on August 13 the same year.

The postmortem revealed metal poisoning as the cause of the deaths. Subsequently, the complaint was filed by Kamalakant’s sister, and the ensuing investigation revealed the modus operandi. The prosecution argued that both victims exhibited poisoning symptoms and that the medical reports detected arsenic and thallium in their bodies. This counts as established evidence to hold Kavita and Jain responsible for the crime, the prosecution argued.

It further argued that Kavita was the only one insisting on not carrying out the blood tests. Earlier, the prosecution had said that Jain was Kamalkant’s friend as the duo was in the garment business and stayed in Vile Parle. Jain and Kavita were in a relationship for over a decade during which there were frequent fights between the latter and her husband. The prosecution claimed that Kavita and Jain both wanted to get married and also usurp Kamalkant’s property, hence they conspired to kill him.