PUNE: JFMC AC Birajdar has sent Vinay Aranha and two others to police custody till October 30 for helping drug smuggler Lalit Patil to escape from Sassoon Hospital. The accused have been identified as Bhushan Anil Patil (34), Abhishek Vilas Kalkawade (31), both residents of Nashik and Vinay Vivek Aranha (50).
Two separate FIRs have been registered at the Bund Garden police station regarding drug smuggling and escape of Lalit Patil from Sassoon Hospital. Bhushan Patil and Abhishek Balkawade have been made co-accused in the Lalit Patil escape case from the drug smuggling case. On the other hand, the Pune police had taken Vinay Aranha into their custody from Taloja Prison on Wednesday. They were produced in court on Thursday. Earlier, Dattatray Doke and Archana Nikam were arrested.
When Lalit Patil was undergoing treatment in ward number 16 of Sassoon Hospital, Bhushan Patil had met him on September 29 and Abhishek Balkawade had met him on September 30. Investigation officers informed the court that both of them had hatched a conspiracy and helped Lalit Patil to escape.
When Lalit Patil was undergoing treatment in the Sasson Hospital, he had got acquainted with Vinay Aranha. Lalit Patil ran away from Sassoon Hospital on October 2. Aranha’s driver Dattatray Doke made a car available for Lalit Patil and Vinay Aranha’s Manager Ashwin Kamat gave an ATM card to Lalit Patil.
Public Prosecutor Nilima Yadav-Ithape sought seven-day police custody of the accused to find out why Vinay Aranha helped Lalit Patil and whether he was told by someone to do so. The police want to find out how the accused hatched a conspiracy about plotting Lalit Patil’s escape.
The advocates of the accused opposed the public prosecutor’s demand for police custody. Bhagyashree Sotur, appearing on behalf of Vinay Aranha, said, “Vinay Aranha was in judicial custody. How can he issue instructions to his driver and manager to help Lalit Patil? After Lalit Patil’s escape, Aranha was in ward number 16 of Sassoon Hospital for four days. Why was he not questioned by the police at that time?” Sandip Bali appeared on behalf of Bhushan Patil and Abhishek Balkawade. After hearing arguments of both the parties, the court remanded the accused in four-day police custody.
Bhushan Patil, who was wearing a burqa, was produced in the court on Thursday. Bhushan Patil lost his consciousness and he fell on the ground. Later, he was taken outside the court.
