BCA graduate went from consumer to dealer: Police

His gang used partners from app-based delivery services to courier drugs

Many of the accused arrested on Wednesday in a special drive against the drug menace were young college graduates or working professionals. The brain behind one of the bigger networks, where a gang of 11 allegedly sourced drugs from suppliers on the darknet, did his bachelors in computer application from a reputed college in the city.

“The accused, Keval M. Lohith, moved from being a consumer to a drug dealer after attending a few rave parties in Goa and Bengaluru. He initially purchased synthetic drugs from his contacts, primarily dealers from Nigeria. He allegedly expanded and started getting supply from dealers operating on the darknet. As his consumer base began to expand, Keval hired a few of his friends and also delivery partners offering ₹500 per delivery to clients,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) S.D. Sharanappa.

Another key accused, Mohamed Hafizulla, is a BCom dropout who was formerly employed in a product promotion company owned by Vaibhav Jain, one of the accused in the high-profile drug case with links to the Kannada film industry that the Central Crime Branch is investigating, said a senior police official. Hafizulla started his own event organising firm named Fusion Entertainment Company.

He started organising parties and supplying drugs to guests. Clients included students of schools and colleges, Mr. Sharanappa said.

Meanwhile, the South East division police, as part of the drive, arrested 10 persons, including four students and the son of a KSRP head constable, for allegedly peddling drugs.

Delivery partners

Both Lohith and Hafizulla used delivery partners working for app-based services like Dunzo and bike taxi aggregator Rapido to ferry consignments to their clients, said the police, who have arrested Aziz Niyaz, a Rapido bike taxi driver, and Guru Prasad, a Dunzo delivery partner.

“On the app, they would get about ₹40 per delivery. But Hafizulla and Lothih would pay them ₹500 per delivery of drugs,” said the police.

Four students arrested

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, South East, Joshi Srinath Mahadev said that 10 cases under NDPS Act were registered during a special drive, and contraband worth ₹1.2 crore has been seized.

The Tilak Nagar police arrested Athitya Vora, 23, Prashanth S., 21, Punith Kothari, 22, and Nachiketh, 19, and recovered marijuana, hydro ganja, MDMA tablets and LSD slips worth ₹4 lakh. The accused were pursuing BE, BCom, MBA and BCA from reputed colleges. They sourced drugs from their contacts to sell to students in colleges across the city .

The police are ascertaining the source of the drugs. The accused claimed to spend the earnings on a lavish lifestyle.

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