Pune cops to probe drug lord’s escape from hospital custody

The police plan to investigate the financial transactions. File pic

The Pune police took custody of drug lord Lalit Patil, Rohit Chaudhary and Shivaji Shinde. Responding to Patil's security concerns, the Andheri court ordered the Pune police to provide him with adequate protection while in their custody.

The Pune police will now investigate how Lalit managed to escape from Sassoon hospital while receiving treatment for various health ailments. A police source said, "On October 2, Lalit fled from the hospital. We suspect that he ran a drug syndicate racket from the hospital. We want to probe all aspects."

Simultaneously, the Mumbai police will continue their investigation into the Nashik drug syndicate. The Sakinaka police plan to seek custody of Bhushan Patil, with an expectation to have him in their custody by November 2, according to a police officer.

According to the police, Lalit's brother Bhushan Patil, Harish Pant and Amir Shaikh jointly operated the drug syndicate from Nashik and kept Lalit informed about their daily developments and revenue.

"Lalit was in custody and was receiving treatment from Sassoon hospital, so he simply received updates about orders and business. However, Bhushan Patil and the other two were on the ground. Harish Pant had knowledge of the formula and contributed to the production of the MD drugs, while Amir Shaikh distributed them as per consignments," the police explained.

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The police plan to investigate the financial transactions between the trio, with a focus on face-to-face interrogations to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the syndicate operated.

Harish Pant has reportedly disclosed a few names to whom he shared the formula. The police mentioned, "Siraj Mandal and Deshaan Khan are the two names he revealed during the interrogation. We are currently investigating this matter and it is in its early stages."

The police suspect that Pant may have shared the formula with several other individuals and may have assisted in establishing smaller production units for drugs across the state. A police officer said, "He might have shared the formula with others. The investigation is ongoing."

The court has granted the duo police custody until November 4.

Oct 2
Day Lalit fled from hospital