Nagpur: A diary recovered during a search at the residence of alleged drug kingpin Vishal alias Phalli Gupta on New Narsala Road in Indra Nagar has emerged as a potentially significant lead in the Crime Branch’s investigation into a Rs 1.54-crore mephedrone (MD) seizure. Investigators are scrutinising its entries for names, contact details and other clues that could help uncover additional smugglers, local distributors and suppliers allegedly linked to the drug trade in Nagpur.
The recovery has opened another line of investigation in a case that police suspect involves an organised supply chain extending beyond Maharashtra. Investigators are attempting to establish whether the diary contains information about the people who arranged drug consignments, those who handled the material after its arrival in Nagpur and the distributors responsible for circulating it in smaller quantities.
The search was conducted as part of the investigation into the seizure of MD worth ₹1.54 crore from a rented flat at Vijaya Apartments in Narendra Nagar, where five persons were arrested. Police suspect that Gupta, 24, was operating the network from outside Maharashtra and coordinating activities through WhatsApp calls.
Diary under scrutiny for names and financial links
The diary is now a key focus of the ongoing investigation because its contents could provide investigators with leads beyond the five persons already arrested. Police are examining the entries to determine whether they contain identifiable names, telephone numbers, transaction-related details or other information that can be corroborated through questioning and further investigation.
Investigators are particularly interested in establishing the possible roles of people associated with Gupta. The probe is expected to examine whether the names and details, if any, correspond to local distributors, intermediaries, transporters or suppliers operating outside the State.
However, the significance of the diary will depend on what its entries actually reveal and whether the information can be independently verified. The recovery alone does not establish the involvement of any additional person in the alleged drug racket.
Suspected fake Aadhaar cards recovered
During the search, officers also found three suspected fake Aadhaar cards, including one bearing the name of Gupta’s girlfriend. Two tolas of gold jewellery in the form of bangles were also recovered from the premises.
The suspected identity documents have added another aspect to the investigation. Police will need to establish their authenticity, how they were obtained and whether they were allegedly used for any activity connected with the case. The recovery of the documents, by itself, does not establish how or for what purpose they were used.
According to police, Gupta had rented the first-floor premises on New Narsala Road on September 1. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the rental arrangement and whether the premises had any connection with the alleged drug operation.
Rs 1.54-crore MD seizure points to inter-State links
The investigation gained momentum after the Crime Branch seized MD worth Rs 1.54 crore from a rented flat at Vijaya Apartments in Narendra Nagar and arrested five persons. Police suspect that the operation involved procuring drug consignments from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, bringing them to Nagpur, dividing them into smaller quantities and supplying them to local distributors.
According to the police investigation, Shubham alias Doraemon Dilip Narwariya had allegedly rented the Vijaya Apartments flat on Gupta’s instructions. Gupta is suspected of coordinating the operation from outside Maharashtra through WhatsApp calls.
If established, the alleged arrangement would suggest a distribution model in which the procurement, local storage and retail-level supply of drugs were handled by different individuals. Investigators are working to determine the exact responsibilities of those arrested and identify anyone else who may have facilitated the movement of the contraband.
The suspected inter-State links have also made it important for investigators to trace the origin of the seized consignment and establish the identities of the alleged suppliers. The diary may provide leads, but police will need corroborating evidence to establish the extent of the network.
Crime Branch widens the probe
The search operation was conducted under the guidance of DCP (Detection) Deepak Agrawal and ACP (Crime) Vaibhav Jadhav. Senior Police Inspector Vinayak Golhe and his team carried out the operation.
The Crime Branch is now examining the material recovered from Gupta’s residence alongside the evidence collected in the MD seizure case. The investigation is aimed at determining whether the arrested persons were part of a larger organised network and whether the alleged supply chain extends to other locations in Maharashtra and neighbouring States.
The crucial question is whether the diary can help investigators move beyond the immediate seizure and arrests to identify the people allegedly financing, supplying and distributing the drugs.
For the Crime Branch, the recovery could prove useful if its entries lead to verifiable identities, communication records and transaction details. Until those leads are corroborated, however, the suspected links remain under investigation, and the alleged roles of individuals yet to be identified have not been established.
