Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Navi Mumbai Police Target Four Women in Drug Crackdown
Navi Mumbai Police are taking action against four women accused of helping supply illegal drugs.
Together, the women face 22 criminal cases.
Two of them are currently in Byculla Jail.
One woman has been charged under a special organised-crime law.
Another has been ordered to stay out of Maharashtra.
Police say they are also checking whether more people connected to the network should face preventive action.
The crackdown is part of a campaign called Nasha-Mukt Navi Mumbai.
Police say they have arrested thousands of alleged drug traffickers and seized large amounts of narcotics.
They have also created special anti-drug teams at every police station.
Four women allegedly linked to Navi Mumbai’s narcotics network face 22 criminal cases combined.
Shantabai Karandekar faces eight cases, is booked under MCOCA and is held in Byculla Jail.
Sitabai Ingle faces six cases and is also held in Byculla Jail after a narcotics arrest.
Rani Joseph was arrested on August 25, while Lali Gani Sheikh was externed from Maharashtra.
Over three years, police arrested 2,919 alleged traffickers and seized narcotics worth about Rs 142 crore.
- Who
- Navi Mumbai Police and four women identified as Shantabai Karandekar, Sitabai Ingle, Rani Joseph and Lali Gani Sheikh.
- What
- Police intensified legal and preventive action against the four women over alleged involvement in the narcotics supply network.
- When
- The report is dated August 27, 2026; Rani Joseph was arrested on August 25, and the Nasha-Mukt Navi Mumbai campaign began in January 2025.
- Where
- Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, with cases registered in Digha, Turbhe and Khandeshwar.
- Why
- Police said the action aims to disrupt drug trafficking under the government’s zero-tolerance policy against drugs.
- Accused women
- Shantabai Karandekar, Sitabai Ingle, Rani Joseph and Lali Gani Sheikh
- Combined cases
- 22 criminal cases
- Police arrests
- 2,919 alleged drug traffickers arrested over the past three years
- Narcotics seized
- 1,027 kilograms valued at around Rs 142 crore
- Drug consumers addressed
- Police took action against 1,822 drug consumers
- Habitual offenders
- Preventive action was initiated against 300 habitual offenders
- International operations
- Operation Garuda and Operation Prahar led to 250 foreign-national arrests and 2,211 deportations, according to police