Drug racketeer Lalit Patil case: Police seek sanction to prosecute ex-dean Sassoon–Dr Sanjeev Thakur

Additional Commissioner of Police Ramnath Pokle said they had sufficient evidence against Thakur while probing the case. “We have written to the Principal Secretary, Medical Education and Drugs department on January 5, seeking a sanction to prosecute and chargesheet Thakur in this case,” said Pokale.

It may be recalled that on September 30, Pune City police caught Subhash Mandal from a spot near Sassoon hospital with 1.71 kg of mephedrone worth Rs 2.14 crore. A probe revealed that the banned drug was supplied by Lalit Patil, who was then admitted to ward number 16 (prisoner’s ward) of the hospital for treatment of ‘hernia’. After Mandal’s arrest, police seized two iPhones from Lalit, during a search at his hospital ward. While police were investigating the case, Lalit fled the hospital on October 2.

Following a massive search operation, Mumbai police nabbed Lalit Patil on October 17.

Several persons including Lalit’s brother Bhushan, aide Abhishek Balkawade, close friend and lawyer Pradnya Kamble, business partner Vinay Aranha, policemen on duty at Sassoon, a hospital staffer, a medical officer at Yerwada jail, were arrested for their alleged role in his escape.