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What is the ₹252 crore drugs case influencer Orry has been summoned in
Orry questioning in drugs case: The case traces back to March 2024, when Mumbai Police uncovered a mephedrone-manufacturing facility in Maharashtra’s Sangli.
Orhan Awatramani, the socialite and influencer popularly known as Orry, will be questioned in a ₹252 crore drugs case - that was busted after a massive investigation launched in 2022. Orry has been summoned by the Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) for questioning at 10 am on Thursday.
What is the ₹252 crore drugs case
The case traces back to March 2024, when Mumbai Police uncovered a mephedrone-manufacturing facility on a farm in Maharashtra’s Sangli. Officers seized 126.14 kg of MD (mephedrone), a synthetic stimulant, worth approximately ₹252 crore.
Investigators say the facility was allegedly controlled by wanted drug trafficker Salim Dola and his son Taher, with raw materials supplied through a Surat-based associate.
As the probe widened, officials realised that the Sangli unit was part of a much larger network. According to the police, drugs were ferried in luxury cars such as Mercedes and BMWs to avoid suspicion, and profits were channelled overseas via hawala routes.
This operational web began unraveling after the August 2022 arrest of a Nagpada resident, leading to multiple linked arrests and finally the March 2024 factory bust.
Dubai connection and celebrities
Orry’s name surfaced after the deportation and arrest of Mohammad Salim Mohammad Suhail Shaikh, an alleged drug trafficker and aide of fugitive gangster Salim Dola. Shaikh was brought back from Dubai on November 5 and has since made a series of explosive claims during interrogation.
In its remand application, the anti-drugs body told a Mumbai court that Shaikh had organised lavish parties in Dubai and Mumbai, allegedly attended by a mix of celebrities and public figures - including actors Nora Fatehi and Shraddha Kapoor, producer duo Abbas-Mustan, influencer Orry, rapper Loka, and politician Zeeshan Siddique.
Also read: Nora Fatehi slams reports naming her in Dawood Ibrahim linked drug raves
During questioning, Shaikh had told Mumbai Police that he organised these raves for Bollywood and fashion celebs, and they were also attended by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s nephew Alishah Parkar.
The police emphasised that these claims are still under verification, and the investigation remains at an early stage.
Orry has been summoned to explain his role, if any, in relation to Shaikh’s statements. “We will decide on questioning other celebrities after speaking to him,” an ANC officer said.
Orry's past run-ins with law
This is not Orry’s first brush with legal trouble this year. In March 2024, he was named in an FIR registered by the Katra police in Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly consuming alcohol in a hotel near the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, where such consumption is strictly prohibited.
According to the police, Orry and several others violated the religious norms of the area despite being warned, prompting strict action and a dedicated team formed to track the accused.
What next in the drugs case probe?
For now, the Mumbai Police see Shaikh as a potentially crucial link to a wider international drugs and hawala network tied to key gangsters and traffickers across India and Dubai. His claims, if corroborated, could significantly expand the scope of the probe.
Orry’s questioning on Thursday is expected to be the first step in determining whether the celebrity-studded names mentioned during Shaikh’s interrogation have any connection to the narcotics operations - or whether the allegations were merely attempts by an accused trafficker to send the authorities on a wild goose chase.
