37 years on, man gets 20-year jail for smuggling hashish

Nitin Bhanushali was charged under various sections of the NDPS Act for entering into a criminal conspiracy to acquire, possess, store, transport, export hashish out of India

MUMBAI: Thirty-seven years after he was arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle 2,365 Kg hashish out of India, a special NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) court on Monday sentenced Mulund resident Nitin Khimji Bhanushali to twenty years of imprisonment for possessing, transporting and attempting to export the contraband material.

37 years on, man gets 20-year jail for smuggling hashish

In July 1987, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers were tipped off about a huge quantity of hashish concealed in drums of mango chutney slated for export to London. The drums were stored in a gala in Suyog Industrial Estate in Vikhroli, which was hired by Bhanushali through a broker, Suryakant Sachde.

A search by DRI officials led to the recovery of 550 plastic drums, among which 194 drums were packed with 4,365 kgs of dark brown hashish worth over ₹2.619 crore. Some of the drums were labelled ‘sweet sliced mango chutney’ and mentioned ‘Indian Condiments Shivam Food Products, Halol Godhra-2207 (FPO)’ as the manufacturer, according to the investigating officer in the case.

The DRI also recovered various photographs, documents and cash worth ₹2,40,00 during searches between July and December 1987.

Among the ten accused in the smuggling case, four were reported absconding, one was reported mentally unsound, and one was reported dead. In 2010, three arrested accused were acquitted by the sessions court as the prosecution was unable to prove their involvement in exporting the drug. The trial of Bhanushali, who was out on bail, was held separately.

According to the prosecution, Bhanushali was a member of the group that was actively involved in decision-making with respect to concealing hashish in drums of mango chutney. His statement recorded by the DRI revealed that he had hired the gala in Vikhroli for a monthly rent of ₹3,000 and had consented to storing drums of concealed hashish in the gala at the request of Dayaram, a co-accused.

Bhanushali was charged under various sections of the NDPS Act for entering into a criminal conspiracy to acquire, possess, store, transport, export hashish out of India. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail by special sessions judge Shashikant E Bangar.