Curlies owner Edwin Nunes may have to spend a long time in jail: 3 new cases registered

HYDERABAD: The Telangana police have registered a total of four cases related to drug possession, trafficking, procurement, financing etc., under various sections of the NDPS Act and other IPC sections, against Anjuna-based Curlies beach shack owner Edwin Nunes at different police stations in the State – which means it may take Nunes quite some time to get bail in all the cases.

According to reports, Nunes has been granted anticipatory bail in two of these cases registered in Telangana, but the police could add additional sections and get the bail cancelled, while he is in custody in the other cases.

According to the Telangana police, Nunes is alleged to be the mastermind heading a drugs cartel with over 50,000 customers across various states in India, of which 1,500, including some Tollywood celebrities, are from Telangana itself, the cops told the media.

The Hyderabad cops are likely to register at least two more cases against Edwin Nunes at different police stations as they had earlier arrested drug consumers who are said to have visited the Curlies restaurant or interacted with Nunes’ agents and the cops have technical evidence in terms of phone records and Call Data Records.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Chama Vrajendra Anand told media persons on Saturday at a press conference, “Edwin Nunes, is the owner of Curlies restaurant at Anjuna in North Goa which has gained international reputation due to its psychedelic rave music and unending supply of a variety of drugs. Nunes maintains close contacts across the country and has made hundreds of crores from this drugs business.”

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Police Commissioner Vrajendra Anand said Nunes was named as the kingpin of the drugs racket by his accomplices Pritesh (Pritesh Narayan Borkar) and Steve (John Stephen D’Souza, owner of Hill Top restaurant in Anjuna) who were arrested earlier.

Sharing information with the media, Anand said FIRs have been registered against Nunes at the Osmania University, Lalaguda and Ramgopalpet police stations in Telangana. The Narco Cell of the Hyderabad police is also investigating another case against him.

This is in addition to the cases registered against Nunes in Goa by the Goa police. According to reports, Nunes has four drug-related cases registered against him by the Goa police, including the Sonali Phogat case, now with the Central Bureau of Investigation. The Chennai police are also investigating a case in which Nunes’ name has popped up.

Nunes had approached the Supreme Court of India seeking anticipatory bail in the Hyderabad drug cases – after the Telangana High Court rejected his anticipatory bail in one case – which was strongly opposed by the cops. He was nabbed before the Supreme Court could pass any order in the matter.

According to media reports, Nunes was booked by the Anjuna police and Ramgopalpet police in Telangana for submitting a fake Covid-19 certificate, seeking exemption from personal appearance when he was summoned for investigation.

He later went underground when the fake Covid certificate case came up. He is also investigated by the CBI in the Sonali Phogat murder case as the actor-politician is alleged to have consumed drugs at the Curlies restaurant and the same were found in the toilet of the popular joint.

The Hyderabad police alleged, Nunes has about 100 agents who peddle narcotic and psychotropic drugs at music festivals and rave parties organised by him directly and indirectly in different states. “Nunes supplies all types of drugs like cocaine, ecstasy pills, LSD blots, MDMA, brown sugar, hash oil, and other drugs to his customers through his agents and couriers. He owns three posh houses or villas, three hotels, and the Curlies Shack in Anjuna which is main hub for drug trafficking,” Anand told media persons.

According to him, “during the peak tourist season in Goa, Nunes allegedly organised techno and rave music parties, charging Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 entry fees per person, and allegedly sold drugs at super premium rates while he himself procured them at nominal or bulk prices from North India and other border areas along the India-Pakistan border.”

Media reports claimed Edwin married a woman from Mumbai and started Curlies in Goa, eventually expanding his business and is known to own three villas and three hotels in Goa alone.

The Hyderabad cops alleged that Nunes has good contacts with senior officials in the Goa administration as well as the police department, which allows him to operate with impunity on Goan soil. They also alleged that Nunes takes “good care” of all his “friends”.

After arresting Nunes, the Hyderabad cops are looking for one Sanjay Govekar also from Goa and wanted in the same cases as Nunes.

Press conference by Hyderabad police commissioner C V Anand on Saturday