Lalit Patil, a drug lord who had evaded custody for two weeks after escaping from Sassoon Hospital in Pune, was captured by a Mumbai Police team in Bengaluru and brought back to Mumbai. The Andheri Magistrate Court granted the Mumbai Police five-day custody of Patil to investigate his alleged involvement in a narcotics factory bust in Nashik and his connection to a Mumbai-based supplier of raw materials.
The Mumbai Police aims to probe potential foreign links, other associates, and the extent of the narcotics network. Patil claimed during the hearing that he had been “abducted” rather than having fled and expressed concerns about his safety from Pune Police. His escape from the hospital had caused a political uproar and led to calls for a thorough investigation.