Nine months after four policemen allegedly planted drugs in a 31-year-old man’s pocket in Kalina, the Vakola police have yet to take action against the accused. Dylan Estbeiro, who worked at a livestock farm, was allegedly framed on August 30, 2024. An FIR was registered only on December 19, and statements of the accused were recorded in January 2025.
The complainant’s lawyer, Akshay Bhole, said, “There has not been much progress in the case. The accused have not even applied for anticipatory bail, and the police have not taken action. They claim the accused are cooperating with the investigation.”
Despite the delay, no chargesheet has been filed. While the Vakola police said the complainant had not approached them, the latter claimed they were summoned only a day before the eyewitness inquiry, making it difficult to respond immediately.
Last month, the complainant and the victim alleged that police were using pressure tactics to close the case – something legal experts believe cannot be done abruptly.
Activist and lawyer Abha Singh said, “If there was an allegation of narcotics possession, the police had no option but to apply NDPS sections. If the accused are later found innocent, the case can be closed. But the non-application of NDPS is unjustified when the FIR itself says the drugs were planted. Ultimately, it’s the magistrate who must decide, based on the summary report and facts.”
Advocate Prakash Salsingikar said the police must investigate without external influence and identify the source of the drugs. “Sections of the NDPS Act need to be applied,” he added.
Recently, the complainant alleged that police pressured them to sign a document intended to close the case. Victims Dylan Estbeiro and Shahbaz Khan said they were called to the station and asked to sign a paper they believed was part of this attempt. However, the police have denied the claim.
The incident was caught on CCTV and shared by Shahbaz. The footage showed police sub inspector Vishwanath Omble and constables Imran Shaikh, Sagar Kamble, and Shinde (alias Dabang Shinde) – all in plain clothes from Khar police station – frisking Dylan and allegedly planting 20 grams of mephedrone during a staged search. The video prompted public outrage, and all four were suspended the next day.
The FIR filed on December 19 invoked multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 198 (public servant disobeying law with intent to cause injury), 199 (disobeying directions under law), 137(2) (kidnapping), 127(1) (wrongful confinement), 115(2) and 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt). But nearly six months later, there’s little movement in the case – raising concerns over accountability and transparency.
