Matunga drugs case: How did crucial CCTV go blank on day of incident, ask neighbours

Locals demand justice for Sayyed and his friend outside Shahu Nagar police station, on Tuesday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

In another twist in the arrest of two Matunga men following alleged recovery of drugs and a gun from them, a CCTV camera installed at a temple outside the main accused's home had gone blank ahead of the police action. While the man's fiancée and friends have blamed an alleged drug peddler from Dharavi for framing him, hundreds of locals protested on Tuesday demanding justice for the duo.

Following mid-day's reports, the Shahu Nagar police recorded the statement of main accused Faqrudin Sayyed's fiancee, who has accused the drug peddler of plotting the arrest to derail her marriage.

Last week, the cops found 485 grams of mephedrone and a country-made revolver from Sayyed's home and took him and his friend Gopal Mooponr into custody.
Amid swirling allegations against the local police for conniving with the drug peddler, the secretary of the Ayyappa temple opposite Sayyed's home said their CCTV was working fine but suddenly it went blank, raising suspicions.

More than 300 locals held a protest outside Shahu Nagar police station on Tuesday, vouching for Sayyed's innocence. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The temple secretary, Kochu Raj, said there are four CCTV cameras on the premises and one points towards Sayyed's home. "I was in my hometown and would check the footage sometimes. I had last checked it on November 16. But after the police asked us to provide the footage, I came to the city and found that someone had disconnected the CCTV camera connections. We have given whatever footage we had," he told mid-day.

Raj said there is no CCTV footage of the time when the police raided Sayyed's home. "I know Sayyed from his childhood and his parents are friendly with us. They are Muslims but every year they do pooja at the temple and regularly visit the place. Sayyed has always been a clean guy. I find it shocking that drugs and a gun were found in his home." Raj said he felt the line was deliberately disconnected.

On Tuesday morning, over 300 locals protested outside Shahu Nagar police station demanding justice for Sayyed and Mooponr. They also asked the police to make public the CCTV footage of the
Ayyappa temple. The police have said that the cameras were not working since November 14.

Will fight for Sayyed: Fiancee

Sayyed's fiancee told mid-day, "The police finally recorded my statement. They should investigate the role of a Dharavi drug peddler's family in this case. The police have promised that they will question them and take action if they find anything suspicious. Sayyed is innocent. I will fight for him and stand by him in these difficult times."

Relatives and friends have insisted that Sayyed is a person with an unblemished character. They have refused to believe the police theory of him being involved in drugs.

Sources said the police will go through the call data records (CDR) of the arrested accused and their bank transactions. They will also scan the CDR, WhatsApp chats and bank records of the alleged drug peddler.

A police officer says that if money has to be paid online to buy drugs from the dark web, then we can also get evidence from bank transactions.

DCP Pranay Ashok told mid-day, "We will do a fair investigation and take action against whoever is involved. We will also interrogate other suspects."

‘Drugs through dark web'

Police sources said the seized drugs were purchased from the dark web. The police are looking for the person, who locals said had come with a packet for Sayyed but took it away. Locals said the same packet was found from Sayyed's home during the raid and it contained the drugs. "Looking at the way the confiscated drugs were packaged, it seems they were bought from the dark web," said a police source.

485
Quantity of seized mephedrone in gms