2 weeks ago
Thane Court Sentences Mephedrone ‘Master’ Bhanudas More to 15 Years
A court in Thane decided a case about making and possessing illegal drugs.
It found Bhanudas More guilty of manufacturing and possessing mephedrone.
More was sent to prison for 15 years and fined Rs 2 lakh.
Investigators found more than 238 kilograms of mephedrone slurry at a factory in Palghar.
They also found drug-making materials and a small amount of mephedrone in More’s car.
The court said the equipment showed that a large quantity of the drug had been made.
Wazhul Choudhary was not found guilty of making or financing mephedrone.
However, he was sentenced for possessing ganja, while another accused was acquitted because there was not enough evidence.
Bhanudas Vasantrao More, alias Aditya Patil, was sentenced to 15 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 2 lakh.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence recovered 238.20 kg of mephedrone slurry from a Palghar factory in 2017.
Investigators also seized raw materials, manufacturing equipment and 1.012 grams of mephedrone from More’s car.
Wazhul Choudhary was acquitted of manufacturing and financing charges but received one year for possessing 442 grams of ganja.
Manish Serasia was acquitted for lack of evidence, while proceedings against Rauff Lulania ended after his death during trial.
- Who
- Bhanudas Vasantrao More, alias Aditya Patil, was sentenced; Wazhul Qamer Abdul Wafa Choudhary was convicted on a ganja-possession charge; and Manish Mathurbhai Serasia was acquitted.
- What
- A Thane special court ruled on charges involving the manufacture and possession of mephedrone, as well as ganja possession and alleged financing.
- Where
- The case was heard in Thane, and the main seizure occurred at a factory in Palghar; additional seizures were made from More’s car and Choudhary’s residence and vehicle.
- When
- The order was passed on August 17 and reported on August 19; the DRI raid took place on March 19, 2017.
- Why
- The court found the prosecution evidence sufficient to convict More, but found insufficient evidence for Serasia and for some charges against Choudhary.
Prosecution and Court
Defence
Strength of official testimony
Prosecution and Court
The prosecution relied on DRI officers and other government witnesses. The court said their official status alone was not grounds to disbelieve them.
Defence
The defence argued that there were technical flaws in the investigation and procedure.
Meaning of factory evidence
Prosecution and Court
Prosecutors and the court pointed to the glass-lined reactor, other equipment, raw materials and seized substance as evidence that More manufactured commercial quantities of mephedrone.
Defence
More’s lawyer sought leniency and argued that his earlier conviction had been set aside by the Bombay High Court and that he had committed no further offence after being released on bail.
Appropriate punishment
Prosecution and Court
The prosecution argued that More continued producing large quantities of psychotropic substances despite his earlier conviction and that such crimes seriously affected young people.
Defence
The defence requested a more lenient sentence, citing More’s legal history and conduct after release on bail.
Key facts
- Main sentence
- Bhanudas More received 15 years’ rigorous imprisonment.
- Fine on More
- Rs 2 lakh.
- Main seizure
- 238.20 kg of mephedrone slurry was recovered from a Palghar factory.
- Additional mephedrone
- 1.012 grams was seized from More’s car.
- Choudhary’s sentence
- One year’s rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 10,000 fine for possessing ganja.
- Ganja recovered
- 442 grams were recovered from Choudhary’s residence and vehicle.
- Other case outcomes
- Manish Serasia was acquitted; charges against Rauff Lulania abated after his death during trial.
- Age discrepancy
- One report described More as 63, while the PTI report described him as 53.
Quotes
Additional Sessions Judge Mahesh S Lone
Judge presiding over the Thane drug‑case trial
“The overall execution of offence in this case indicates that accused has become master in manufacturing of mephedrone and also clever in evading the law by not letting any documentary evidence against him.”
freepressjournal.in
“Just because all the witnesses are officers or government employees that does not give a ground to disbelieve their evidence in toto.”
theprint.in
Sources
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