Local
Mumbai’s famous millionaire Muchhad Paanwala summoned by NCB, named in high-profile drug case
Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has summoned a famous millionaire Paan vendor from South Mumbai in connection with a marijuana ring busted by the agency on Saturday.
On Saturday NCB officials arrested a British national and two women from Bandra in Mumbai in connection with a marijuana supply case.
NCB officials said during the interrogation of the arrested accused, it came to light that the same drug was being supplied to Mucchad Panvala also identified as Jaishankar Tiwari from Kemps Corner in South Mumbai.
People queue up at the shop in large numbers to buy Paan from the famous Paan vendor. The numbers are so high that Tiwari has employed several people just to roll Paan along with his brothers at the shop.
The shop has been running since the 70s in Mumbai and has been a very famous name with a growing clientele every year.
Tiwari is also known as Mucchad Paanvala caters to several famous clients including artists from Bollywood, businessmen, and also industrialists residing in the plush upscale Kemps Corner locality of South Mumbai.
Tiwari has been called on Monday by NCB as his shop’s name has been revealed by the accused arrested in the case run by one British Citizen Karan Sajnani.
Karan Sajnani, the British national, and two other women were arrested by NCB in the case. One of the arrested women has been identified as Rahila Furniturewala, who earlier worked as a manager for Bollywood actress Dia Mirza.
However, NCB officials said Mirza had no role in the drug scandal.
NCB officials also arrested Rahila’s sister Shaista who was in possession of the same drug.
A total of 75 kgs of marijuana, 125 kgs of marijuana-kind of material and many cannabis buds imported from US, which are of high value, was recovered from Karan Sajnani.
The contraband was packed in the form of pre-rolled Ganja joints by Karan Sajnani and was allegedly being supplied to high-class clients in Mumbai and various other states, according to NCB.
The smuggling activity was supported by Rahila Furniturewala by providing financial and other aids.
According to NCB, Karan Sajnani is related to the Sushant Singh Rajput case. He was a supplier to the accused peddler Anuj Keswani who was arrested in the drug probe related to the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.
The NCB on Friday intercepted a courier where rolled joints were found. In a follow-up operation, a huge stash of imported strains of marijuana was recovered from Karan Sajnani who is a resident of Jaswant Heights in Khar.
Sajnani is said to be the kingpin of an international and interstate drug racket and the drugs from the US are being circulated by him in various states.
“On the basis of specific information, NCB Mumbai effected a seizure of marijuana from one courier at Bandra West. In the follow-up operation, a huge stash of imported strains of Ganja was recovered from a resident of Jaswant Heights Khar west named Karan Sajnani (a British national). Further on the revelation of Karan Sajnani, Marijuana and buds were recovered from Rahila Furniturewala who is also a suspect in the investigation in the SSR drug case. The sister of Rahila Furniturewala — Shaista Furniturewala — was also arrested as she too was found in possession of marijuana. The total contraband seized was approximately 200 kg,” Sameer Wankhede, Zonal Director of Narcotics Control Bureau, Mumbai, said in a press statement.