Thane Court Sentences Mephedrone 'Master' Bhanudas More To 15 Years In Jail Over 238 Kg Drug Haul

Mumbai: The special NDPS court in Thane has convicted Bhanudas More, alias Aditya Patil, 63, a chemist accused of teaching several drug lords the formulae for manufacturing drugs, in a case registered by the DRI following a raid on his factory in 2017, which led to the seizure of over 238 kg of the party drug mephedrone (MD).

More has been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and fine of ₹2 lakh.

The case was linked to a drug racket busted by the Maharashtra ATS in Andheri around the same time, involving accused Sajid Electricwala.

The special court has also convicted Wazhul Choudhary, who was the main buyer and financier for More.

Special judge MS Lone had, while refusing to grant leniency said: “The overall execution of offence in this case indicates that accused has become master in manufacturing of mephedrone and also clever in evading the law by not letting any documentary evidence against him.”

“The manufacturing of large quantity of psychotropic substance indicates that accused was part of largest syndicate which indulged in making the younger generation to get habit of narcotic drugs. This act is not against particular people of society but against nation interest,” reads the order.

An officer of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had received information that More, who was already convicted in a drug case, was indulging in manufacturing and trafficking of mephedrone at a factory in Palghar Taluka Industrial Estate.

It was also claimed that a consignment of 200 kg of MD in slurry form was to be shifted to More’s residence in Rustomajee Global City, Virar West, where it would be stored and further processed into crystal powder for sale.

Based on this information, DRI officials raided the factory premises on March 19, 2017. During the raid, they allegedly found over 238 kg of a substance in slurry form purported to be MD. The officials also seized raw materials stored in liquid form in drums at the factory. Simultaneously, DRI officials raided a residential premises, from where they seized ganja and MD.

The prosecution said that More had earlier been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and fined ₹1 lakh for manufacturing MD. He had been in prison since 1997 and was granted bail after spending seven years behind bars.

Meanwhile, Choudhary had previously been involved in the transportation of 2,000 kg of hashish. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, which he served at Moradabad prison.

“It is also proved that the installation of glass line reactor and other articles (from the factory) clearly indicates that More had manufactured the commercial quantity of mephedrone,” the court said.

More’s lawyer Tabish Mooman sought leniency, arguing that the Bombay High Court has set aside the conviction in the previous case and that More has not committed any offence after being released on bail.

Special DRI prosecutor Vibhavari Pathak argued that More had continued manufacturing large quantities of psychotropic substances despite his earlier conviction, stressing the serious impact of such offences on the youth.

The court denied leniency, noting that More allegedly manufactured a large quantity of mephedrone while his earlier conviction was still in force.

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