Mumbai: In a significant development in the suspected fatal drug overdose case, police on Wednesday told a magistrate's court that prime accused Mahesh Khemlani had ordered 4,000 ecstasy pills from Europe and had them couriered to a co-accused's residence in Ulhasnagar.
Police also said that a USTD wallet was used to facilitate payment. The court extended Khemlani's police custody till May 10.
Background of the Case
On April 11, two MBA students — part of a group of 25 students from a management institute — consumed ecstasy pills at a music concert in Goregaon East and died the next day. Another female student, who had also consumed an ecstasy pill, became critically ill and has since been treated. Vanrai police have arrested 12 individuals in the case, including Khemlani, who is a Hong Kong resident.
On police's request, the magistrate's court sent two other key accused — Vineet Gerelani and Ayush Sahitya — from judicial custody back to police custody for further questioning.
Details of the Drug Procurement
On Wednesday, police told the court that Khemlani had a 'friend' in Europe from whom he had ordered ecstasy pills on two occasions. The first time, he ordered 3,000 pills, and the second time, around 1,000 pills. They were sent by courier to Sahitya's home in Ulhasnagar. The payments were made through a USTD wallet, which is widely used in the crypto space. A USTD wallet is a digital wallet designed for storing, receiving, sending, and managing Tether (USTD), and for facilitating payments.
Police said that the involvement of a European supplier indicates the possibility of an international drug racket.
Currency Conversion and Further Investigations
Police told the court that the accused also contacted an agent for converting foreign currency to Indian rupees. Requesting the court for further custody, police said they need to track down this agent and question him.
Police alleged that Khemlani and Sahitya had met the European drug supplier at a hotel in Mumbai, and they needed to investigate whether they had met any other suppliers. They further said that Khemlani and Sahitya also had a meeting in Goa, and hence they need to travel to the neighboring state to investigate whether the duo had links with any drug suppliers there.
Defense Argument
Khemlani's lawyer, Pankaj Jadhav, argued before the court that no recovery had been made from his client since his arrest on May 1. 'Police claim to have seized 935 ecstasy pills from Poladpur in Raigad, where Sahitya had reportedly tried to dispose of them before being intercepted in a nakabandi. But nothing has been recovered from Khemlani, who is a trader and an entrepreneur,' Jadhav told TOI.
