Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Apr 16: The Vanrai Police Station has arrested one more person in connection with the deaths of two individuals following a suspected drug overdose at a live concert in Mumbai, taking the total number of arrests in the case to seven.
Officials said the latest arrest is linked to a wider narcotics supply network allegedly involved in distributing drugs at large events such as concerts and private parties. The accused was taken into custody late at night and will be produced before a court.
The case relates to the deaths of two students who reportedly consumed drugs during a music concert held at the NESCO Centre. Police believe the consumption of narcotics occurred both before and during the event.
Investigators have uncovered a supply chain allegedly transporting drugs from Kalyan to Mumbai, with couriers and porters used to move narcotics discreetly and distribute them among attendees.
Officials said a consignment of MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy or “Molly”) was supplied a day before the event, on April 10. The drugs were allegedly distributed among a group of students attending the concert.
Police have identified Anand Patel and Pratik Pandey as key figures in the suspected drug distribution network. Both are believed to have been involved in similar activities over an extended period.
Investigators allege that Patel supplied MDMA ahead of the concert, while Pandey distributed it among students. Another accused, Vinod Jain, is also under scrutiny for allegedly allowing entry of attendees carrying narcotics into the venue.
According to officials, the deceased students purchased four MDMA pills for ?6,400. The drugs were reportedly delivered to Pandey at a hostel in the Charni Road area, where he then distributed them within his student circle.
Pandey, a first-year MBA student originally from Kalyan, allegedly used his access within the hostel environment to distribute narcotics without raising suspicion.
Police said some of the accused had earlier been involved in similar incidents linked to events in areas such as Bandra Kurla Complex.
A female student undergoing treatment told investigators she had consumed a MDMA pill at the concert and lost memory of subsequent events after feeling its effects.
Multiple police teams are continuing the investigation to trace the broader drug syndicate behind the case and identify additional suppliers and facilitators.