MCOCA court denies bail to accused in ₹115-crore Satara MD factory bust

Special Judge N R Pradhan relied on the confession of co-accused Vishal More, who allegedly told investigators that Dehluj had purchased 100 grams of MD for ₹85,000, helped search for the drug’s seller and later looked for a place to manufacture the drug on the instructions of alleged gang leader Faiyaz Shaikh

MUMBAI: A special MCOCA court on Saturday rejected the bail plea of Asad Hasan Dehluj in the ₹115-crore Satara mephedrone (MD) manufacturing and trafficking case, holding that a co-accused’s statement and other material prima facie linked him to the alleged organised narcotics operation, even though no contraband was recovered from him.

MCOCA court denies bail to accused in ₹115-crore Satara MD factory bust.

Special Judge N R Pradhan relied on the confession of co-accused Vishal More, who allegedly told investigators that Dehluj had purchased 100 grams of MD for ₹85,000, helped search for the drug’s seller and later looked for a place to manufacture the drug on the instructions of alleged gang leader Faiyaz Shaikh.

The court said this showed Dehluj “was engaged in the activities of large scale Narcotic operation” and held that the amended definition of organised crime covered such large-scale narcotics activity.

The case dates back to a December 2025 Mumbai Crime Branch operation in which police uncovered an alleged MD manufacturing unit at Savari village in Satara’s Javali taluka. The investigation began after two men were arrested with 136 grams of MD and subsequently led police to the alleged manufacturing facility.

A raid there resulted in the seizure of 7.518 kg of finished MD and another 38.82 kg kept for drying. Police pegged the value of the drugs and raw material at around ₹115 crore and invoked MCOCA, alleging the accused were operating an organised crime syndicate.

Seeking bail, Dehluj’s lawyer pointed out that no contraband had been recovered from him and that he had not been accused of personally transporting, manufacturing, purchasing or selling MD. The defence also argued that More’s confession was the only substantive material against Dehluj and questioned its reliance upon it.

The defence further flagged delays in sending seized items for inventory and in filing the complaint, and said phone-call transcripts between Dehluj and another accused had nothing incriminating.

The prosecution, however, relied on More’s statement, which, according to the court order, alleged that Dehluj bought 100 grams of MD from him at Khadki in Pune in January 2022 for ₹85,000. It adds that in March 2022 the two searched for an MD seller at Shaikh’s direction, and in December 2023 looked for a place to manufacture the drug on his instructions.

The judge held that the material established a prima facie link between Dehluj and the alleged organised crime. “As per recent amendment made in the definition of organised crime, large scale Narcotic operation involved organised crime,” the court said, adding that the large quantity of MD seized attracted both the NDPS Act and MCOCA.

Citing the Supreme Court’s earlier reading of MCOCA, the court said a person need not have a direct role in organised crime if a nexus with the syndicate or the crime itself is established. “Even if one may not have any direct role” in the organised crime, the court noted, such a nexus could attract MCOCA.

The court also pointed out that an NDPS case was already pending against Dehluj and said he could repeat the offence if released. Finding the statutory conditions for bail under MCOCA not satisfied, it turned down his plea.