Pune: Assistant commissioner of police (crime) Sunil Tambe told a magisterial court in Pune that the police neither had inputs from any security agency nor had they come across any evidence indicating a threat to drug kingpin Lalit Patils life.Tambe was making an oral submission after Patils lawyer Sandip Bali told judicial magistrate first class AC Birajdar that his client apprehended a threat to his life and needed to be provided an apt security cover. When the court asked Bali that from whom did Patil apprehend a threat, he said the authorities — but did not specify further.The court wondered how there could be a threat when the accused was in police custody.The manner in which Patil was operating the drug racket had raised questions about his nexus with politicians, police and the hospital authorities. Patils interrogation was expected to expose some names. Patil had escaped from the Sasoon hospital on October 2.Two days after Patils rearrest from an eatery 100km away from Bengaluru, Patils parents had told reporters in Nashik that they were okay with any punishment given to their son, but he should not be killed in an encounter.—Asseem ShaikhWe also published the following articles recentlyDrug kingpin Patil in Aranhas flat with co-accused two days before escape: CopsDrug kingpin Lalit Patil frequently visited a partner in crime, Vinay Aranha, at his flat in Pune Camp while in the prisoners ward at Sassoon hospital. Two days before his escape, Patil met with co-accused Archana Nikam in Aranhas flat to finalize the escape plan. A jeweler in Nashik has been detained for providing Rs70 lakh to facilitate Patils movements after the escape. Aranha, Patils brother Bhushan, and aide Abhishek Balkawade have been remanded in custody until October 30. The police are investigating multiple cases related to drug seizures and Patils escape.Drug haul case: Saki Naka police take custody of Bhushan Patil, associate Abhishek BalkawadeThe Saki Naka police in Mumbai have taken custody of two individuals involved in a drug haul case worth Rs 305 crore. This brings the total number of arrests in the case to 20. Meanwhile, the Pune police have taken custody of Lalit Patil, a drug racketeer who had escaped from their custody earlier. The arrested individuals were manufacturing drugs in rented premises and had a network of distributors across Maharashtra. Detailed information about the supply network has been found in a diary seized by the police.Govt is not inclined to save Jarange Patils life: Uddhav ThackerayShiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray expressed concern over the deteriorating health of Maratha reservation quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been on a hunger strike for five days. Thackeray accused the government of not showing any intention to save his life and warned that playing politics with Patils health could lead to unrest in society. He also emphasized the need to provide reservations to the Maratha community without disturbing the reservations of other communities. NCP leaders have met with the Maharashtra Governor to discuss the tensions arising from the ongoing fast and suicides in the state.

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