Pharma company MD arrested for trafficking date rape drug

After seizure of a large consignment of the drug, investigations reveal that company was part of a larger trafficking syndicate

The managing director of a drug company was arrested along with three associates yesterday, in connection with smuggling psychotropic substances.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested Abhijit Konduskar, managing director of Kumud Drugs Private Limited and owner of Konduskar Travels, his general manager Nilesh Mehta, the receiver of the consignment Jayantilal Khotari, and a middleman Sandeep Ahire.

 Sleuths at DRI suspect that Konduskar (29) was part of a larger syndicate involved in the smuggling of the drug Ketamine Hydrochloride to Europe.

Ketamine, also known as the date rape drug in party circles, when administered to an unsuspecting victim, has a sedative effect. It is often used to spike drinks, before sexual assault is committed on the victim. This drug is in great demand in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom.

Boxes enclosing 200 kilograms of the drug were seized from an Andheri bound Tata Sumo on Wednesday. The boxes were traced back to Kumud Drugs Private Limited, a pharmaceutical company of which Konduskar was the managing director. DRI officials thereafter recovered 32 drums containing the drug from a godown in Sangli.

Officials have also revealed that the company owned a factory at Sangli, from where he supervised the distribution of the drug. He was aided by A Mondal, the general manager (production).

Andheri resident Jayantilal Kothari, receiver of the contraband, told officials that he had earlier smuggled more than 1,000 kg of Ketamine out of the country.

Investigations have yielded that Konduskar had on an earlier occasion sent substantial amounts of the drug to two men Ghatkopar resident Chetan Mehta and Dahisar resident Parag Mehta. The consignment ultimately found its way to United Kingdom.

Investigations have also revealed that Konduskar had been involved in the purchase of large quantities of Mephedrone, which was manufactured by Onkar Industries, located at Islampur near Sangli.