NESCO Drug Death Case: 6 Weeks On, No Major Breakthrough; Police Probe Europe Link, Await Forensic Report

Mumbai: More than one-and-a-half months after the NESCO drug case came to light, the Vanrai police have not made any major breakthrough in the investigation. According to the police, the forensic report is still awaited, the probe is ongoing, and no fresh arrests have been made after the arrest of the 12th accused.

During the investigation, the arrest of the alleged main supplier, Mark alias Mahesh Khemlani, 44, revealed that he had allegedly procured drugs through a Europebased friend. However, the police have not established any link to an international drug network so far. An officer said a lookout notice has been issued against this “Europe-based acquaintance”, though his identity has not been disclosed.

Khemlani allegedly told the police that he, Ayush Sahitya, 24, and the Europebased friend had met at a hotel in Mumbai. Khemlani had also travelled to Goa with co-accused Vineet Gerelani, 22, and Sahitya, and met a supplier before the concert. The police suspect Khemlani may have been in touch with other suppliers, though no concrete evidence has emerged.

So far, 12 accused have been arrested. One of them, concert organiser Akash Samal, 31, was granted bail by a sessions court, while the remaining 11 are in judicial custody.

The case came to light after two MBA students allegedly died of an ecstasy overdose after attending the '999999999 Techno Concert' held at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon East on Apr 11. The deaths triggered an investigation into the alleged supply and consumption of narcotic substances at the event.

According to the police, the probe initially focused on tracing the source of the drugs allegedly consumed by the victims. Investigators examined mobile phone records, financial transactions and the movements of the accused, leading to the arrest of several individuals who allegedly played different roles in procuring and distributing the contraband.

More than six weeks into the probe, several questions remain unanswered. The police are yet to determine whether the drugs were sourced only for the concert or whether the accused were part of a larger party circuit network. The route through which the drugs reached Mumbai, possible additional suppliers, the alleged international angle, and the forensic findings remain under investigation.

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