Thane, May 21: A special court under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Thane has convicted five accused and acquitted five others in a high-profile drug trafficking case investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), involving the seizure of large quantities of mephedrone (MD), ephedrine, methamphetamine, cash worth more than Rs 2.18 crore, firearms and multiple vehicles.
The Narcotics Control Bureau in 2021 had arrested members of an alleged drug syndicate run by Chinku Pathan alias Parvez Khan, who is said to be a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang and grandson of late underworld don Karim Lala.
The court convicted accused Parvez Naserullah Khan alias Chinku Pathan, Mohammad Salman Khan and Vikrant Jayantilal Jain alias Vicky Jain and sentenced each of them to five years’ rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50,000 each.
The court further convicted Mohammad Arif Bhujwala and sentenced him to 15 years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 2 lakh, with an additional one year’s imprisonment in default of payment of fine.
Meanwhile, accused Haris Faizanullah Khan was convicted and sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000, with a further three months’ imprisonment in default of payment of fine.
Five accused acquitted
The court convicted Parvez Naserullah Khan alias Chinku Pathan, Mohammad Salman Khan, Vikrant Jayantilal Jain alias Vicky Jain, Mohammad Arif Bhujwala and Haris Faizanullah Khan, while acquitting Rahul Kumar Verma, Zakir Hussain Fazal Huk Shaikh, Md. Aun Javed Haider Sayed, Mohammad Faaran Khan and Md. Zaman Hidaytullah Khan due to lack of sufficient evidence. One accused, Hussain Bilal Telwala, remains absconding.
“Thus, considering the facts and circumstances of the case and evidence on record and the judgments cited by both sides, I am of the opinion that the fact that Parvez Naserullah Khan alias Chinku Pathan was found in conscious possession of 3 grams of heroin is not proved. But possession of MD is proved from the evidence, though whether the weight was actually 52.8 grams or not is doubtful because though the sample sent to him was of 5 grams, he found it to be 3.4490 grams. Thus, I am of the view that the prosecution has proved that Chinku Pathan was found in possession of more than small, but less than commercial quantity of MD,” the court observed in its order.
NCB raids and seizures
According to the prosecution, the Narcotics Control Bureau received specific intelligence inputs on January 20, 2021, regarding alleged drug trafficking activities of accused Parvez Khan from his residence at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai.
During the raid, officers allegedly recovered 2.9 grams of heroin, 52.8 grams of mephedrone, a pistol with five live cartridges, weighing machines, packaging materials, cash and jewellery allegedly purchased from drug proceeds.
The investigation later expanded to multiple locations in Mumbai and Bhiwandi. At premises linked to accused Mohammad Arif Bhujwala in Mumbai’s Noor Manzil building, the NCB allegedly seized more than 5.3 kg of mephedrone, more than 6.1 kg of ephedrine, 990 grams of methamphetamine and cash amounting to Rs 2.18 crore.
The prosecution further alleged that accused Mohammad Salman Khan was involved in selling MD to prospective customers, while Vikrant Jain was allegedly financing the illegal narcotics trade.
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Court examines forensic evidence
The court recorded that the prosecution examined 23 witnesses, including NCB officials, chemical analysts, panch witnesses, bank officials and forensic experts.
The judgment also notes that forensic examination reports confirmed the presence of mephedrone, clonazepam and other narcotic substances in several seized samples.
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