Lalit Patil’s escape: Yerawada jail counsellor accused of accepting money from drug cartel
Accused Sudhakar Sakharam Ingale, who was working as a counsellor at Yerawada Central Jail, allegedly took money from accused Abhishekh Balkawade, said police at the court during a hearing on Wednesday
PUNE: Accused Sudhakar Sakharam Ingale (44), who was working as a counsellor at Yerawada Central Jail, allegedly took money from accused Abhishekh Balkawade, said police at the court during a hearing on Wednesday.
Ingale was arrested by the Pune police crime branch on Tuesday evening. He was produced before the Pune court amidst tight security. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) AC Birajdar on Wednesday remanded Ingale to police custody till December 1.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Neelima Yadav-Ithape in her submission before the court requested custodial remand.
Yadav-Ithape said, “In the technical analysis, it was revealed that accused Ingale took money from the arrested accused Balkawade. To investigate why he had taken money from the Balkawade and to investigate more money trail, we have demanded police custody.’’
According to the investigation so far, Abhishekh Balkawade along with others had set up a drug factory in Nashik.
A police officer from the crime branch unit on condition of anonymity said, “Balkawade had transferred money into the bank account of a relative of the Ingale. It was also revealed that, from Sassoon Hospital, Lalit Patil was in constant contact with Ingale who was deputed as a counsellor at Yerwada jail. Bhooshan Patil was also in contact with Ingale.’’
The officer went on to say that police seek custody of Ingale to investigate why he received money from accused Blakawade, where the money came from, and other such things connected to the high-profile case.
Police also suspect that accused Ingale might have offered help to Lalit Patil to run his drug racket from Sassoon Hospital.
In the last two days, including Monday and Tuesday, Crime Branch Unit (2) of the Pune city police, have arrested three individuals for allegedly helping drug haul accused Patil escape from the Sassoon hospital.
The accused have been identified as Mahendra Shevate (57), resident of Rakshak Nagar Khadki, Moies Ahmad Sheikh (30) resident of Deglur in Nanded district, and Sudhakar Sakharam Ingale (44).
Earlier on September 30, during a raid, Police arrested Subhash Mandal from the gate of the Sassoon Hospital who was carrying mephedrone (MD) worth ₹ 2.14 crore. Further investigation revealed that Patil, who was a patient in ward number 16 of Sassoon Hospital was running this MD cartel from the hospital along with associates.
On Wednesday, a team of Pune city police took over custody of accused Sachin Wagh from Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.
Police confirmed that they submitted a production warrant in court and arrested Wagh to investigate more in the Lalit Patil case.
Wagh was working as a driver of the Lalit Patil, and he is from Nashik and allegedly offered help to Patil after he escaped from the Sassoon General Hospital.
Wagh was arrested by the Mumbai police along with Lalit Patil from the nearby area of Bengaluru city.
