Thane NDPS Court Rejects Accused’s Plea To Travel For Umrah

Thane: The Special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act Court in Thane has rejected the application filed by 40-year-old Mohammad Sikandar Cheemu, seeking permission to travel to Saudi Arabia for 15 days to accompany his mother for Umrah.

While rejecting the application, the court observed that there is a high possibility of the accused absconding, as the main culprit behind the drug syndicate is allegedly operating from Dubai.

The court held that if permission were granted, the possibility of Cheemu fleeing could not be ruled out. The court, presided over by Judge G.T. Pawar, stated in its order, “Cheemu is charged with possession of a commercial quantity of 50 kg of Mephedrone.

As per the prosecution’s case, the main accused, Kailash Rajput, is operating a syndicate from Dubai. Cheemu is now seeking permission to visit Saudi Arabia, while the main culprit, Rajput, resides in Arab countries.

The accused has submitted copies of his passport, flight tickets, and visa for himself and his mother.

Upon reviewing the visa, it is revealed that he obtained a 90-day travel visa starting January 20, 2025, while his mother’s visa is valid from January 22, 2025.”

The court further noted, “The accused is desperate to travel abroad, particularly to Arab countries. Despite his earlier application for travel with his father being rejected, he has now filed another application to travel with his mother, raising doubts about his motives. Given the charges against him and his failure to comply with attendance requirements at the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) office, as per the Bombay High Court’s bail order dated July 31, 2024, there is a significant risk of him fleeing if permitted to travel abroad. The trial is nearing the evidence stage, and if the accused absconds, it will become difficult to proceed with the case.”

In 2020, the DRI arrested three men and seized Mephedrone (also known as ‘Meow-Meow’ or ‘party drugs’) valued at ₹20 crore from Nerul. The accused, including, Anwar Farooqui (33), a Dharavi resident, Karim Rauf Sayyad (27) from Nalasopara, and Mohammad Sikandar Cheemu. They were caught with the alleged contraband hidden in a white car parked outside a restaurant in Nerul.