‘He told our boss it was herbal product’: Muchhad Paanwala shop worker on drugs seized by NCB

British national and businessman Karan Sajanani at the NCB headquarters in Ballard Estate. Pic/Suresh Karkera

A worker at the Muchhad Paanwala shop told mid-day that the drug that was seized by NCB officers was given to owner Ramkumar Tiwari claiming that it was some herbal product and could be sold by mixing it in paan or cigarettes.

Shyam Kumar, who has been working at the shop for over 20 years now, claims to have seen accused Karan Sajanani handing over the packet to Tiwari. However, during his interrogation Sajanani told the NCB officials that he had mixed CBD oil and marijuana in the 500 gm mixture that he handed over to Tiwari. Tiwari was produced in court on Tuesday and sent to judicial custody.

Ramkumar Tiwari being taken back to the NCB headquarters from Esplanade Court on Tuesday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Kumar further said that Tiwari had never mixed any narcotics substance in the cigarettes or paan. "I don't know whether the man knows sahab (Ramkumar Tiwari) but he gave him the packet and left. The packet was not opened. On Sunday, the NCB officials raided the shop and took away the packet."

The NCB officials are now trying to find out whether Sajanani had met Tiwari in the past and sold similar products to him. Also, they would be investigating whether Tiwari had mixed any such substance in the paans and cigarettes he sold. Kumar added, "The person did not take any money in return for the packet. He told sahab to pay him only if he manages to sell the product."

Shyam Kumar, who works at the paan shop

Another worker at the paan shop, Rajat Kumar said, "About 500 to 600 paans are sold daily, but today there was a 30 per cent drop in sales. Very few customers came today." Some of those who were at the shop to smoke cigarettes said that they never felt anything different.

A 22-year old at the shop told mid-day, "I don't come here regularly but have never felt any difference between the cigarettes here and elsewhere."

Rahila Furniturewala at the NCB office. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Meanwhile, during the court hearing on Tuesday, Special Public Prosecutor Atul Sarpande of NCB told the court that during interrogation Sajanani said that he had handed over the packet to Tiwari.

Requesting anonymity, an NCB official said, "British citizen Sajanani had ordered drugs from the US, for which payments of thousands of dollars were made through debit and credit cards. A close friend of Sajanani, Rahila Furniturewala made the payments."

NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede told mid-day, "The NCB has arrested Tiwari on charges of buying drugs, which were found in his warehouse. We are investigating whether he sold any of these drugs."