Special Correspondent
Pune: A sensational case has come to light in Pune, revealing the extent to which the city’s drug network has spread even into the medical profession. An MBBS doctor, who was until recently working at a reputed hospital in Pune, has been arrested for his involvement in drug trafficking. The city police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has arrested three individuals, including the doctor, and seized mephedrone (MD) worth nearly ₹15 lakh from their possession.
The accused doctor has been identified as Mahammad alias Ayaan Jaroon Shaikh (27), a resident of Undri and originally hailing from Jammu. Along with him, two others—Samuel Balasaheb Pratap (28) from Hingne Khurd and Aniket Vitthal Kudale (27) from Narayan Peth—were also taken into custody.
According to police officials, Mahammad Shaikh had completed his MBBS and was practicing at a well-known hospital in the heart of the city. However, he had been previously arrested in a drug case, following which he was suspended from medical practice. Despite his suspension, Shaikh continued his illegal activities and is now caught in a drug smuggling case once again. Notably, both he and Kudale had been arrested earlier in a similar case in the Bund Garden area.
Police investigations have revealed that the trio was supplying mephedrone to known contacts in the city. Acting on a tip-off, the ANC received specific information that three individuals were parked suspiciously in a car near the Nimran Hotel in Bibwewadi and were possibly selling drugs. Acting swiftly, the ANC laid a trap and detained all three.
A search of the accused and their vehicle led to the recovery of MD worth ₹14.63 lakh—with ₹5 lakh worth of drugs seized from Dr. Shaikh, ₹6.38 lakh from Samuel Pratap, and ₹3.25 lakh from Aniket Kudale.
This arrest has once again brought the focus back on how deeply drug networks are rooted in Pune and how they are now finding links within even the most educated and respected professions. Police have launched a deeper probe to uncover the entire supply chain and the possible involvement of other individuals, including whether more medical professionals are connected to this racket.
Officials have assured strict action, stating that the system will not spare anyone involved in narcotics, regardless of their qualifications or professional status.
