Goregaon couple flies the coop with Rs 174cr

The accused Shivani Mehta and her husband Ashish Kumar Shailesh Mehta

The Goregaon couple, alleged masterminds of a massive home-based drug distribution racket, has fled their residence, after transferring nearly Rs 174 crore of the alleged Rs 300 crore drug money into various accounts. On Thursday and Friday alone, their accounts show withdrawals of Rs 96 lakh, police said. The Madhya Pradesh police team, which is in town after issuing summons to the duo, has now issued a look-out notice against them.

The incident has led to a major political row in the area, after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde-led) leaders, including a local MLA and corporator, led a protest outside the school.

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MP police outside the branch of a reputed bank at Andheri East where they went to probe accused Ashish Mehta's account. Pic/Samiullah Khan

One of the couple's associates, a Mira Road resident, was caught by them with MD worth Rs 17 lakh. On Thursday, mid-day had reported about Shivani Mehta and her husband Ashish Kumar Shailesh Mehta, digital currency enthusiasts and business people, who are accused of running a drug distribution network out of their nest in a posh Goregaon high-rise.

The Khaniyadhana police in Shivpuri district of MP were investigating them after one of their associates, a Mira Road resident, Nissar Zuber Khan, 39 was caught by them with 142 grams of MD worth Rs 17 lakh. The police had also seized a silver Santro in the case.

Oberoi Esquire in Goregaon East where the accused couple live

Khan, during interrogation, revealed that he works as a courier for the Mehtas and on June 6, Ashish Mehta had called him to his house at Oberoi Esquire and handed over the parcel that was seized by the cops. It was supposed to be delivered to Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh. Khan also told the cops that he was given a new mobile phone and SIM card for every assignment and was told to destroy them once the delivery was done.

On June 11, the Khaniyadhana police visited Mumbai with Khan and with the help of Aarey police, went to the Mehtas' Oberoi Esquire residence. The couple was summoned to the police station for an identification parade and they were identified from a line-up.

Framed, says lawyer

"The Mehtas were accompanied by their lawyer, who alleged that they have been framed and asked us for some time to appear with evidence," said a source.

"Ashish Mehta even gave us a cell phone number that was switched off. We kept trying the number but there was no response. Finally we included their name in the FIR on Wednesday," said Dhanendra Singh Bhadoria, Station House Officer of Khaniyadhana police station.

A team of around eight policemen including Bhadoria are in Mumbai in search of the Mehtas. The team, assisted by officers from Aarey police station, visited Mehta's residence Friday morning and found the main door locked. From the driver, the police found that they had left home the previous evening, asking him not to return.

Investigations by the police revealed that the Mehtas were aware of the police's visit and had given fake numbers and names to the society security.

Based on their mobile phone records, the police found Mehta's bank account details with the branch of a reputable bank in Andheri East, and it was revealed that the accused has been constantly transferring money from his account. On Thursday, he transferred around Rs 70 lakh and on Friday Rs 26 lakh from it to various accounts. By late Friday, the police said, from the Rs 300 crore, the balance was Rs 126 crore.

"We will now question the holders of these accounts. A look-out notice has been issued against the couple," Bhadoria added.

Why arrest could not be made

Advocate Vishal Saxxenaa said, "Section 42 of the NDPS Act gives power of entry, search, seizure and arrest without warrant or authorisation. But possession of the narcotics substance is important. The section gives power to the officer to arrest only when he has reason to believe that the suspect is in possession of the drug, or any material or document which may furnish evidence of the commission of such an offence is kept or concealed in the place being searched. In the present case, if possession of any such article is not found then the police can only ask the suspect to come for investigation but cannot arrest without a warrant."