Pune police invoke MCOCA against drug kingpin Lalit Patil & associates

A comprehensive investigation into the involvement of Patil – the suspected mastermind of a large-scale Mephedrone (MD) racket uncovered by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police back in 2020 – led to the application of the MCOCA in the case

In a significant development, the Pune police have invoked the stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against Lalit Patil – the drug kingpin who was arrested by the Mumbai police from Chennai following his escape from Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital on October 2 – and his associates in connection with a drug trafficking case.

Currently, Patil is in the custody of Pune police, with his detention scheduled till November 7. (HT FILE)

A comprehensive investigation into the involvement of Patil – the suspected mastermind of a large-scale Mephedrone (MD) racket uncovered by the Pimpri-Chinchwad police back in 2020 – led to the application of the MCOCA in the case. Currently, Patil is in the custody of Pune police, with his detention scheduled till November 7. The Pune police have also arrested Patil’s associates identified as Arvindkumar Lohare, Amit Janaki Saha, Rauf Sheikh, Bhooshan Patil, Abhishekh Balkawade, Rehan Ansari, Pradnya Arun Kambale, Jishan Sheikh, Shivaji Shinde and Rahul Pandit. Whereas the search is on for other associates including Samadhan Kambale, Imran Sheikh and Harishchandra Pant. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sunil Tambe submitted a MCOCA proposal against Patil, Lohare, and 12 other accused while additional commissioner of police (crime) Ramnath Pokale sanctioned it.

According to the police, Patil, along with Lohare, created a gang and added more and more members to the gang in the past 10 years to produce, store, transport and sell drugs and related products to make profits illegally. Patil’s capture from Chennai led to the dismantling of this drug manufacturing and distribution network which operated from a pharmaceutical unit in Nashik district.

Earlier on September 30, during a raid, the police arrested one Subhash Mandal from the gate of Sassoon Hospital with MD worth ₹2.14 crores in his possession. Further investigation revealed that Patil, a Yerawada Jail inmate housed in ward number 16 of Sassoon Hospital, was running the MD cartel from the hospital along with his associates. A case regarding the same was registered at the Bund Garden police station, under relevant sections. Meanwhile, Patil escaped from Sassoon Hospital on October 2 and was subsequently arrested from Chennai by the Mumbai police.