Four more associates of drug kingpin Shahi Mahatma held

The Shimla Police have arrested four more associates of the notorious interstate drug kingpin Shahi Mahatma, alias Shashi Negi, from various locations in the Rohru subdivision. The arrested individuals have been identified as Sikander Thakur (24) from Lower Koti village, Ashish (33) from Rohru, Kulwant (42) from Chirgaon, and Naresh Kumar (36) from Bijauri village. These arrests come in the wake of a police crackdown that has already led to the capture of several members linked to the drug racket.

The mastermind

• Shahi Mahatma, who was arrested in September, ran a sophisticated and well-organised drug trafficking operation based in Rohru
• His network involved around 40 to 45 people, and more than 25 associates have been apprehended so far

According to Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, the arrests followed investigations into the forward linkages of the Shahi Mahatma case. The arrested individuals were found to have significant bank transactions with the kingpin, including sums ranging from Rs 58,600 to Rs 2.55 lakh.

Shahi Mahatma, who was arrested in September, ran a sophisticated and well-organized drug trafficking operation based in Rohru. His network involved around 40 to 45 people, and more than 25 associates have been apprehended so far. He had established connections with drug peddlers from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and even Nigerian networks. His operation was mainly concentrated in the upper Shimla regions, including Jubbal, Kotkhai, Theog and Rohru.

Despite being the mastermind behind the racket, Mahatma remained elusive by avoiding direct contact with buyers. He relied on a network of middlemen to handle transactions and frequently changed locations and mobile phones to avoid detection. Before any sale, Mahatma’s associates would verify buyers through PAN and Aadhaar details, adding them to a WhatsApp group for further coordination. Payments were made via UPI, and the contraband was then left at designated spots, such as under a tree or near a roadside stone, for the buyer to collect.

Mahatma’s downfall began when one of his associates from Jammu and Kashmir was arrested with 486 grams of ‘chitta’ in Khada Pathar, leading to a broader investigation and the eventual dismantling of his drug network.