Seven youngsters booked under NDPS act, no arrests

MUMBAI: While the Mumbai crime branch's investigation into the murder of Atharva Shinde (21), son of EOW officer Narendra Shinde, has hit a rough patch, the Aarey police has booked seven youngsters who also attended the May 7 party which Atharva attended, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The police said that it had sent 12 samples for testing, out of which, seven tested positive for traces of cannabis. However, no arrests have been made so far.

The Aarey police on Tuesday received the test results from the forensic science laboratory (FSL), which indicated that of the 12 youngsters tested, seven had tested positive for the presence of the drug in their blood.

A police official said that it was clear that liquor had been served to the youngsters at the party, and the fact that many were under the influence of alcohol and drugs resulted in the slow pace of the investigation. Reason being that the only lead that could come was from these witnesses/party invitees and their statements could not be relied upon.

Vijaylakshmi Hiremath confirmed the development and said, "Efforts to track down the drug peddler who supplied weed (cannabis) at the party are underway. No arrests have been made, and the youngsters will be questioned to get the names of drug peddlers, who were probably present at the party.”

Atharva, a student of a Pune-based college, had come to the city to attend a friend's birthday party on May 7. He left his Thakur Complex residence in the afternoon of May 7 to go to the party venue at Royal Palms, Aarey Colony. The same night, Atharva texted his father that since it was very late, he would be returning the next morning. However, he never returned and his body was found near a lake on May 9.
 with injuries on his chest, head, eyes and private parts.