Nagpur: The city police crime branch on Saturday busted a mephedrone (MD) syndicate allegedly linked to wanted gangster Vishal alias Phalli Gupta, seizing 1.4 kg of the narcotic powder worth ₹1.4 crore from a third-floor flat in Narendra Nagar.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by senior inspector Vinayak Golhe raided the premises around 7.20pm, intercepting the peddlers before they could flee after selling the drugs. Police also seized four motorcycles and a car allegedly used in the drug trade, taking the total value of the haul to more than ₹1.54 crore.
City gangsters, including Vishal Meshram, Saurabh Ghate and Vickky Khan, were among the clients who procured narcotics from Phalli’s Rajasthan-based network, police said. During interrogation, Aniket Bihare told police that he and Phalli were jointly involved in the MD trade. He allegedly said Tufan Sisodia brought large consignments from Rajasthan on the instructions of Phalli and Bhupendra Sisodia of Jhalawar. Tufan reportedly told police that he had travelled from Rajasthan specifically to deliver the consignment to Phalli’s network. Mobile phone records also showed that the accused were in regular contact, police said.
Peddlers Aniket alias Annu Bihare and Rahul alias Bhaya Gedam of Wathoda, Tufan Singh Bal Singh Sisodia of Jhalawar, Rajasthan, Krishna alias Pehelwan Verma of Ganeshpeth, and Shubham alias Doremon Narwariya of Manewada were arrested in the raid. Meanwhile, Phalli, the alleged mastermind, was apprehended along with his girlfriend in Rameswaram. He was wanted in connection with the August firing at corporator Shubham Motghare’s house in Bhandewadi. Nagpur police have secured transit remand to bring him back to the city.