Born in 1963, Shashikala Patankar grew up in a modest Mazgaonkar family at Worli Koliwada. File/Pic
Hailing from the 8x8 shanty in Worli’s slums, Baby ran a drug syndicate to infiltrate Mumbai’s streets with the highly addictive, psychoactive stimulant: ‘Meow Meow’. Although she was arrested several times, she managed to escape the bars with the help of her nexus
Mephedrone (MD) had gripped the city in the early 2000s. One could identify it from the faint yellow-coloured crystals that came in the shape of rice kernels
Baby had established an extensive distribution network with her alleged partner and a cop - Head Constable Dharmaraj Kalokhe, stationed at the Marine Drive Police Station. Her strategic positioning of mules in Mumbai’s drug supply chain, coupled with the potent nature of the substance, attracted a vast clientele. As the demand for mephedrone surged, so did her profits
With more patrons, came enormous wealth that Baby utilised to buy elaborate properties. She bought an apartment in Gorai, one in Palghar, multiple flats in Worli and Mahim, two plots in Savantwadi, a bungalow in Pune and yet this is just the tip of the iceberg. The police assert that Patankar possessed 22 properties in both Mumbai and Pune worth Rs 100 crore, along with fixed deposits amounting to Rs 1.2 crore
The emergence of women in the drug trade or the operation of illicit liquor in Mumbai's slums was primarily driven by necessity. During the 80s and the 90s, they attracted less attention from the police compared to the men involved in similar activities
In April 2015, Baby was arrested following the discovery of 112 kilograms of mephedrone in the residence of her partner Kalokhe. However, as the case unfolded, forensic tests revealed that the substances seized were not mephedrone but rather the food additive MSG, also known as Ajinomoto. Baby was released later with a meagre charge of possessing 20 grams of charas, imported liquor, and a forged voter identity card.
Learn more about Baby Patankar's life
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