Meow Meow drug haul: Kalokhe got ‘Baby’ a safe place after she was booked in January, says cops

Shashikala Patankar alias ‘Baby’ in police custody. (Source: File Photos)

In January, soon after the Worli police registered a case against Shashikala Patankar alias ‘Baby’ for allegedly peddling mephedrone, dismissed police constable Dharmaraj Kalokhe reportedly got her a ‘safe house’ by shifting her to a room at Garware club house inside the Wankhede stadium, investigators said. Infamous as the biggest mephedrone or ‘Meow Meow’ drug peddler, Patankar, who is in police custody till May 2, has also alleged close “proximity” to 10 other Mumbai police personnel, added an officer. The Mumbai Police is now probing their respective roles and verifying her claims.

“The Worli police registered a case against Patankar in January for allegedly peddling mephedrone. The day the court was hearing her anticipatory bail plea, Kalokhe got her a room at the Garware club house in Wankhede stadium to ensure that she evaded arrest,” a senior police officer told The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity. Patankar was arrested on April 22, after almost a month-long chase by the Mumbai crime branch. On March 9, a police team had seized 114 kgs of mephedrone from the Satara residence of Kalokhe, who was attached with the intelligence wing of the Marine Drive police station.

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“Since Kalokhe was attached with the intelligence wing of the Marine Drive police station, he had befriended the staff at the Garware sports club and managed to get the keys to a room. ‘Baby’ stayed in the room for a night and left the next afternoon. However, the staff was neither aware about the identity of the room’s occupant, nor was any entry made,” the officer added. “We have asked the policemen, whose names have been spilled by her, to explain why they were in touch with her and whether she worked for them as an informant,” he said.

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The police suspect that it was the constant fights with Kalokhe and a recent public humiliation that triggered a vindictive Patankar to tip off against him. She has also revealed that she feared Kalokhe might get her arrested in a drug case.

“Kalokhe used to frequently show her messages sent by his seniors about carrying out raids and the arrests of those involved in the Mephedrone trade. Patanakar became insecure and started doubting Kalokhe. She feared that he might get her arrested and therefore decided to trap him,” the officer explained. It was based on her tip-off that the Satara police arrested Kalokhe.