07 October,2023 08:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva Agashe
Sakinaka police had seized 151 kg of MD from a Nashik-based pharmaceutical company (Pic/Mumbai Police)
In a major crackdown, the Sakinaka police had seized 151 kg of MD worth Rs 300 crore from a Nashik-based pharmaceutical company and apprehended 12 of the alleged accused.
This major crackdown came when Pune's ANC revealed that an alleged accused Lalit Patil was running a drug racket from Sassoon Hospital.
It is alleged that drug lord Patil and his brother Bhushan are kingpins of this racket. "Bhushan Patil will soon be in our custody. He was not present during the raid. Both are absconding," the police said. "The investigation of this case began on August 8 when the Sakinaka police had arrested an alleged accused Anvar Sayeed, 42, and seized 10 grams of MD," said Joint CP ( Law and order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary.
The accused then confessed that was not the only one and revealed the names of his co-accused. Subsequently the Sakinaka police arrested Javed Khan, 27, Asif Shaikh, 30, and Ikbal Ali, 30, and seized 10 grams of MD from them. The trio confessed that they purchased drugs from some of the alleged co-accused, the Sakinaka police arrested Sundar Shaktivale, 44 , Hasan Shaikh, 43, and Ayub Sayeed, 32.
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According to the police, Hasan Shaikh had confessed that another accused, Arif Shaikh, was also involved and he was subsequently arrested from Hyderabad. The police seized 110 grams of MD, one desi katta, seven live cartridges and cash worth R4 lakh from him.
Arif during the interrogation confessed that he and Nasir Shaikh, 45, sold drugs near JJ Marg in Mumbai and subsequently the police arrested Nasir and seized 250 grams of MD from him. During the interrogation Nasir confessed that he purchased drugs from Rehan Ansari and Azar Ansari, 32, from Kalyan. The police arrested the duo and seized 15 kg of MD.
Based on Reha and Azar's confession the police arrested Zeesan Shaikh, 34, from Nashik, Zeesan Shaikh is an employee of the raided company. The Sakinka police then raided Shree Ganeshay Industries, a Nashik based pharmaceutical company and busted the racket.
The company had three units dedicated to making MD; the police had sealed the company on October 6.
"We have zero tolerance for drugs and will soon apprehend all the accused in this matter," said Joint CP (L&O) Satyanarayan Chaudhary.
