Three more arrests in Lalit Patil escape case
The crime branch unit of Pune city police in two days arrested three individuals for allegedly helping drug haul accused Lalit Patil escape from the Sassoon hospital
PUNE: The crime branch unit of Pune city police in two days arrested three individuals for allegedly helping drug haul accused Lalit Patil escape from the Sassoon hospital.
The accused have been identified as Mahendra Shevate (57), resident of Rakshak Nagar Khadki, who was deputed as a ward boy at Sassoon Hospital ward number 16, and Moies Ahmad Sheikh (30) resident of Deglur in Nanded district, who was deputed as jail police in ward number 16 for the safety and security of the inmates.
On Tuesday, third accused Sudhakar Ingale (44) was arrested by Crime Branch unit. Ingale was working as a counselor at Yerwada Jail.
Nandakumar Bidwai, crime branch (Unit II) inspector said, “During the investigation, we came to know that these two accused have a role in the escape of accused Lalit Patil from the Sassoon General Hospital. We are interrogating them, soon we will get more details regarding it.’’
Police suspect that Shevate was the prime resource person of Patil and helped the accused during his stay at ward no. 16 at the Sassoon Hospital. Moreover, medical and non-medical staffers from the healthcare facility are also on the radar of the police and are likely to be interrogated.
With the latest arrest, a total of 15 individuals have been apprehended so far in the Lalit Patil escape case.
Both accused Shevate and Sheikh were produced in court on Tuesday and were remanded in police custody till December 1.
Earlier on September 30, during a raid, Police arrested Subhash Mandal from the gate of the Sassoon Hospital who was carrying mephedrone (MD) worth ₹ 2.14 crore. Further investigation revealed that Patil, who was a patient in ward number 16 of Sassoon Hospital was running this MD cartel from the hospital along with associates.
