Mumbai: ‘Paan was trial run to test cannabis product,’ says Narcotics Control Bureau

The Muchhad Paanwala shop at Kemps Corner

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday arrested Sameer Khan, son-in-law of senior NCP leader Nawab Malik, based on a finding that he was planning to launch a US-based cannabis product as herbal joints in Mumbai. Both Khan and British national Karan Sajanani had decided to market the product, popularly known as Saints Joints, by printing its logo on facemasks and through online campaigns. Officers from the NCB said Sajanani gave it to Muchhad Paanwala to test the product.

Karan Sajanani (striped shirt) being taken to the Esplanade Court in Azad Maidan Thursday

The Saints Joints were originally founded in Georgetown, one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Washington DC. Saints make the highest quality cannabis products using natural ingredients and practices. The drug that Sajanani handed over to one of the owners of Muchhad Paanwala, Ramkumar Tiwari, was later seized by the NCB officers.

Sameer Khan (white mask) at the court on Thursday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

An NCB officer told mid-day, "They were planning to sell Saints Joints in the name of herbal products and wanted to market it by printing the logo on masks." According to NCB sources, Khan and Sajanani were on their radar for the past four months. Sajanani had planned to sell the banned drug by branding it a herbal product, for which he had ordered drugs from America via courier.

British national Sajanani had given the drug to one of the owners of the Muchhad Paanwala shop at Kemps Corner. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede told mid-day, "In this case, we have a lot of digital evidence, which includes chats, voice notes and call recordings." The NCB arrested Khan after interrogating Sajanani and claimed that the former financed the British national. The NCB further said that Khan was planning to make some other products by mixing CBD oil and chemicals in marijuana along with Sajanani.

As per NCB, Sajanani in his statement revealed that Khan provided him financial help for marketing CBD-infused marijuana. Khan in his statement said that he procured CBD-infused marijuana from Sajanani and then sold it.

NCB special public prosecutor Atul Sarpandey told the Esplanade Court on Thursday that there were chats of Sajanani and Khan on social media regarding selling of the contraband and financing the illicit business. He also showed the court a copy of the WhatsApp chat between the two. Sajanani had also sent photos of the drug to Khan on WhatsApp. Another NCB officer told mid-day, "The chats revealed that in the last few months, Khan transferred R5-R6 lakh to Sajanani's account several times."