Drug trafficker ‘Lavish’ names Bollywood stars and politician in Rs 252-crore narcotics probe

“We are in the process of verifying all the details and may summon the individuals concerned for questioning,” a senior ANC officer confirmed.

Investigators allege that Lavish hosted and supplied narcotics at high-end parties held at private bungalows in Mumbai’s western suburbs and exclusive clubs abroad. Among those allegedly present, the ANC said, were well-known Bollywood actresses and their associates including one of the actress’s brothers, a filmmaker, and a former MLA of the NCP party.

According to the police, Lavish was the right-hand man of drug lord Salim Dola and looked after the manufacturing of mephedrone in at least seven states in the country. The police had managed to get Dola’s son, Taher, and nephew, Mustafa Kubbawala, deported earlier this year.

Sources said the police were also tracking Salim Dola, suspected to be holed up in Turkey, where he had moved from the UAE after the deportation of his son and nephew between June and July this year.

In August 2022, the Ghatkopar unit of the ANC arrested one Mohammed Shahrukh Shaikh, 28, from Nagpada and allegedly seized 995 grams of the banned drug mephedrone, approximately worth Rs two crore. During further probes, the police arrested three more accused in the case.

The fifth accused, Salman Saleem Shaikh alias Shera Batla, 35, was deported from Dubai in the first week of November based on RCN. He is a close aide of Salim Ismail Dola, a known figure among narcotics agencies, the police said. Salman confessed the name of Lavish during interrogation, and an ANC official then took Lavish into custody on November 5, and he became the sixth accused in the case. The police later arrested the seventh accused, Mohammed Sharib Mohammed Iqbal Ansari.

According to police, as of now there are at least seven to eight accused who are still wanted in the case including Salim Dola, Govind Piramsongh Sunar, Mohammed Mustafa Khwaja Sheikh and Nagesh Ramchandra Shinde alias Pravin.

Dola was the main accused linked to the Dawood Ibrahim gang that was running the network. Along with the deported accused, Dola was running the racket from Dubai with the help of his son Taher, nephew Mustafa Kubbawala and right-hand man Salim Shaikh alias Lavish, and several others who are still wanted, and some of them are still in the UAE.