Delhi: Sikkim-based man arrested in Rs 13,000 crore drug trafficking case
New Delhi (PTI): The Special Cell of the Delhi Police has arrested a key accused from Sikkim in connection with a massive Rs 13,000 crore international narcotics smuggling case linked to the seizure of a massive consignment of cocaine, mephedrone and Thai marijuana, an official said on Monday.
The accused, Tilak Prasad Sharma (35), a resident of East Pendam in Sikkim, was apprehended after a sustained inter-state operation following the execution of a non-bailable warrant issued against him by a Delhi court, police said.
Sharma was wanted in an FIR registered at a Special Cell police station in 2024 under various provisions of the NDPS Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police said the case pertains to the recovery of 1,290 kg of cocaine and mephedrone and 40 kg of Thai marijuana, exposing the operations of an international drug cartel with links spanning Pakistan, the UK, Malaysia, Thailand, the UAE and India.
"So far, 17 accused have been arrested in the case, while several others, including foreign-based handlers, are still absconding," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Amit Kaushik said in a statement.
Police said Sharma played a crucial role as a courier in the syndicate. During the investigation, it emerged that he was actively involved in smuggling suitcases containing Thai marijuana from Thailand to India on multiple occasions.
After landing in Delhi, the contraband was allegedly handed over to Himanshu, an associate of another accused, Tushar Goyal. Two suitcases containing Thai marijuana were later recovered from a godown in Mahipalpur linked to Goyal, he said.
According to the police, further revealed that following the arrest of key cartel members in Delhi in the first week of October 2024, the syndicate's kingpin instructed Sharma to alter his travel route to evade law enforcement agencies. He was directed to travel from Thailand to Sri Lanka, then to Nepal and thereafter to India.
During this period, Sharma was apprehended by Nepal Customs at an airport with Thai marijuana and was lodged in a jail in Kathmandu. However, police said local inquiries revealed that he escaped from the Nepal jail during a phase of unrest and subsequently returned to India.
"After his return, Sharma allegedly went underground, frequently changing locations and concealing his identity to avoid arrest. A Special Cell team was later dispatched to Sikkim to execute the non-bailable warrant. On reaching his native village, the team found that no family members were residing there. Further inputs indicated that he had shifted to Namchi East in south Sikkim," the officer said.
With the assistance of local police, Sharma was traced, apprehended and produced before a local court, from where a transit remand was obtained. He was subsequently produced before a Delhi court.
Police said Sharma had studied up to Class 10 and completed an ITI course in the fitter trade. He had earlier worked as a machine operator in a pharmaceutical company in Sikkim and later travelled to Dubai on a tourist visa in search of employment, where he allegedly came in contact with members of the international narcotics syndicate.
Legal proceedings are underway, and efforts are being intensified to track down other absconding members of the cartel, including international handlers and suppliers.
A police source said that the mastermind of the syndicate, Virendra Basoya, is currently abroad, and a Red Corner Notice has been issued against his son, Rishabh, who is also outside the country. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
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Man booked for duping firm of Rs 6 cr by posing as Infosys CSR official
Bengaluru (PTI): An FIR has been registered against a man and his accomplices for allegedly cheating a firm of Rs 6 crore by falsely claiming to be associated with an IT company and promising to facilitate CSR funds for its projects, police said on Friday.
The crime is said to have taken place between September 1, 2025 and March 20, 2026, and after consultation with legal experts the company decided to file a complaint at the Devanahalli police station here, they said.
The FIR was registered on March 30 following a complaint by Mysore Mercantile Company, alleging that a person named Gagan N Deep approached them, posing as the Regional Head (CSR) at Infosys Ltd, they said.
According to the FIR, Deep claimed he reported to senior officials - Harsh J, Senior Regional Manager - Infrastructure, Facilities Operation, Public Relations and CSR Works, and Niladri Prasad Mishra, Senior Vice President and Head - Global Infrastructure and Climate Action.
The FIR alleged that the accused expressed interest in the activities of their associated trust, Heggunje Rajeeva Shetty Charitable Trust, Bangalore, and assured facilitation of CSR funds from Infosys Ltd.
It further stated that the accused sent a team of four to five individuals representing Infosys, including persons identified as Chethan and Tejas, to Udupi, Mangaluru and other places to verify the trust’s activities.
According to the complaint, the accused subsequently induced the complainant to pay an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) to alleged regular vendors of Infosys as a condition for approval of CSR grants.
The complainant stated that a total amount of Rs 6 crore was paid, including Rs 1.75 crore through demand drafts in favour of Anitha Ventures and Rs 3.75 crore through demand drafts in favour of ANS Engineerings, apart from an additional cash payment of Rs 30 lakh allegedly handed over to the accused through his driver near Nandi Upachar Hotel in Devanahalli, as per his instructions.
The FIR further alleged that the accused issued a purported sanction letter dated October 21, 2025, allegedly from Infosys bearing the signature of Mishra, and executed a grant agreement dated January 8, 2026 between Infosys and the charitable trust for the construction of more than 855 houses across Karnataka with a total grant of Rs 179 crore.
Another grant agreement dated January 13, 2026 was also executed for construction of primary health care centres across the state with a total grant of Rs 178 crore, it stated.
However, the complainant later suspected that the representations made by the accused were false, the documents were fabricated, and the entire transaction was fraudulent in nature, as the accused dishonestly induced them to part with substantial amounts under the pretext of EMD for CSR grants.
"Despite repeated follow-ups neither has any grant materialised nor have the amounts been returned, and the accused is now unresponsive and deliberately avoiding communication," the FIR added.
A case has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), Section 319(2) (cheating by personation), Section 336(3) (forgery for the purpose of cheating), police said, adding that further investigation into the matter is underway.
Efforts are being made to nab the suspects in the case, they added.
