Illegal call centre kingpin in CB custody

Mumbai: A special NDPS court on Monday remanded the kingpin of Kurla illegal call centre in crime branch custody till January 4, for cheating US citizens by promising to supply banned drugs, including Viagra.

The police has already arrested twelve persons and they have been granted bail in this case but with the arrest of kingpin the crime branch has invoked the NDPS Act and is likely to re-arrest those who were already granted bail.

Public prosecutor Sumesh Panjwani on Monday informed the NDPS court that the crime branch arrested 24-year-old Ali Ahmed Shaikh on December 26 and a magistrate court had remanded him to police custody till December 31. However, during the course of investigation the police invoked provisions of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act and hence the crime branch officers produced Shaikh before the NDPS court.

Advocate Mohammed Ahmed Shaikh and Javed Khan opposed plea of police seeking Shaikh’s further custody contending that the accused was already in police’s custody for around a week but they failed to show any progress in the probe and there is no need to extend his custody. They requested the court to remand the accused to judicial custody.

After hearing arguments the judge observed that the appropriate opportunity should be given to police to investigate such crime and extended Shaikh’s custody till January 4.

It may be recalled that earlier last month the Mumbai police had raided an illegal call centre and had arrested eight persons including manager, sales executives and tele-callers for allegedly cheating US citizens by promising to supply banned drugs like Tramadol and Viagra.

During further probe more persons were arrested but the alleged kingpin was still absconding till his arrest on December 26.