Lalit Patil drug racket: Court extends police custody of accused Rehan Ansari till Oct 30

Golu was later lodged at Taloja jail in Mumbai. On October 20, Pune city police took his custody from Taloja jail to investigate his alleged involvement in the Mephedrone seizure case against Lalit Patil.

A Pune court initially remanded Golu to police custody till October 27. Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Tambe of crime branch produced Golu before a magistrate court in Pune on Friday afternoon. Assistant public prosecutor Neelam Yadav Ithape sought an extension in Golu’s custody as “his interrogation was essential to know the whereabouts of the wanted accused Imran Shaikh and Harish Pant.”

Police said that Golu and Imran Shaikh were allegedly involved in transport and sale of Mephedrone manufactured at the Nashik factory run by Lalit’s brother Bhushan Patil, from where Mumbai police had seized Mephedrone worth Rs 300 crore.

Police also took custody of chemical expert Arvindkumar Prakashchand Lohare (43) from Yerwada jail. Lohare was earlier arrested in the Chakan Mephedrone seizure case. As per a probe, when Lalit and Lohare were lodged together in Yerwada jail, they allegedly planned the Mephedrone factory in Nashik, which was set up by Bhushan Patil and Balakawade with the help of wanted accused Harish around December 2022.

Meanwhile, police have arrested six persons including Vinay Aranha (50), a partner in Pune’s Rosary Education Group, his driver Dattatraya Doke (40), Bhushan Patil, Balkawade, a lawyer Pradnya Kamble and Archana Nikam, for their alleged role in Lalit’s escape from the hospital.

Meanwhile, a lady police personnel has been suspended for negligence in duty at the hospital that led to Lalit’s escape. Earlier, nine policemen were suspended in this case.