The Pune Rural police who have arrested five men including a 39-year-old constable from Ahilyanagar police for siphoning and sale of large quantities of Alprazolam seized in the police action, have said they are investigating the suspected links of the constable within the police machinery, among other crucial leads.
The police have till now seized 10.7 kilogram of Alprazolam tranquiliser which was allegedly siphoned from a large consignment seized by Ahilyanagar police in May last year.
A joint investigation by the Local Crime Branch of Pune Rural and Shirur police station was launched following a concrete intelligence input obtained on January 17. Automobile garage owner, Shadab Shaikh, 41, was arrested in the early hours of January 18. The drugs seized from him weighed around one kilogram and 52 grams.
A press statement by the Pune Rural police in this regard had earlier identified the seized drug as Mephedrone. However, a probe subsequently revealed that it was alprazolam.
The team zeroed in on a serving constable from the Ahilyanagar police. After the investigation obtained concrete evidence that he was involved in the sale of drugs, he was placed under arrest on Wednesday. A total of 10.7 kilogram of crystalline alprazolam was seized from the constable including the initially seized one kilogram.
The police subsequently obtained crucial leads about a larger drugs racket after the seizure of the first one kg of drugs from Shirur. Police have identified the arrested constable as Shyamsundar Gujar (39), who is currently posted with the Local Crime Branch of the Ahilyanagar police and was given the responsibility of inventory of the items seized in criminal cases. Gujar was arrested on Wednesday and was produced before a court in Shirur. The court has remanded him to police custody till January 26.
An official who is part of the probe and did not wish to be named said, “Among various crucial leads we are investigating, how he managed to siphon the seized drugs in spite of all the checks. We have confirmed that the arrested cop was in the clerical wing that looked after the seized items. We are investigating the upward and downward linkages of this cop in the drug siphoning and sale racket and his suspected links within the police machinery. It is highly likely that someone from within the police force was also involved in this.”
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When contacted, Sandeep Singh Gill, Superintendent of Police, Pune rural, told The Indian Express, “We are probing all the possible angles. We are also seeking court permission to methodically investigate how he managed to siphon drugs from the system. It is a sensitive probe and we are conducting it thoroughly.” Till now police have arrested a total of five persons along with Shaikh and Gujar. Police have identified the three more suspects as Dnyandev Shinde (37), Rushikesh Chittar (35) and Mahesh Gaikwad (27).
Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police of Ahilyanagar on Wednesday said, “We have been informed of the arrest of the constable. We have initiated strict action against him.” Alprazolam is a prescription anti-anxiety drug belonging to the benzodiazepine category and is commonly misused and abused for its sedative effects. Due to its high potential for abuse and dependence, the drug is regulated under the NDPS Act in India when possessed or trafficked without valid authorization.
In a major drug action in May last year, the Ahilyanagar police had seized over 69 kilograms of Alprazolam crystal and over 338 kilograms of raw materials used for its manufacturing. The action was taken following concrete intelligence inputs on the smuggling of large quantities of drugs from Shrirampur town of Ahilyanagar.
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