Mumbai: Police have arrested actress Jiya Jacob in connection with the NESCO concert drug case, taking the total number of arrested accused to 11 in a case linked to the deaths of two people after a music concert at the NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon East on April 11. Police are examining an alleged ecstasy supply chain, financial transactions, digital records and possible security lapses at the venue, while forensic reports are awaited to confirm the exact cause of death.
Deaths After Concert Trigger Wider Probe
The incident took place at a music concert held at the NESCO Exhibition Centre, where a group of about 25 MBA students had attended the event. A 28-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman from the group died the next day after allegedly consuming ecstasy pills. Some others also fell ill.
Earlier details in the case identified Shreya Rai, 24, and Sheetal Salvi, 25, as second-year MBA classmates from a prominent management institute in South Mumbai who had gone to the concert with a group of friends. While dancing in the crowd, both reportedly began experiencing dizziness and were taken to a trauma hospital around 12.30 am on April 12 before being shifted to Bombay Hospital as their condition turned critical. Rai was declared dead that afternoon, while Salvi survived and is recovering.
A third victim, Bismat Singh Amarjit Singh Bhasin, 28, a resident of J S Hall, Churchgate, was not part of the student group but had consumed alcohol and was dancing when he felt unwell. He was admitted to Lifeline Medicare Hospital, where he later died during treatment. Police suspect he may also have consumed pills along with alcohol, but viscera samples have been sent for forensic analysis and the formal cause of death has not yet been established.
The Vanrai police have registered a case under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with relevant sections of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act and the NDPS Act. Police have recorded statements from more than 40 people, including students who attended the concert.
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Actress Arrested After Money Trail
Jiya Jacob, 33, was picked up from her home in Ulhasnagar on Wednesday after police found a money trail allegedly linking her to the accused. She had been questioned earlier and has now been formally arrested. She is expected to be produced before the Borivali court, where police are likely to seek custody for further investigation.
Officers from Vanrai police station said Jacob came under the radar after the questioning of main accused Ayush Sahitya. An officer told Hindustan Times that money had been credited to Jacob’s bank account and that her account had been frozen to determine the total amount she received.
Police believe Jacob received around Rs 3 lakh from different accused, including Anand Patel, Vineet Gerelani and Shubh Agarwal. Investigators have also found digital payment records and WhatsApp chats as evidence. Officials said Jacob was present at the concert and had also consumed drugs, though her exact role in the case remains under investigation.
In a related development, police recovered 933 ecstasy pills worth about Rs 15 lakh from Poladpur in Raigad district. The pills were allegedly dumped by Sahitya while he was trying to flee toward Goa. Police have also questioned Sahitya’s sister after finding money transfers linked to the case.
Student Network, Peddlers and Venue Security Under Scrutiny
The alleged supply network involved students from a South Mumbai management college who are accused of using their social and academic connections to distribute narcotics within their peer group. Prateek Brijesh Pandey, 24, a second-year MBA student and classmate of the victims, allegedly acted as the primary procurement link. Police allege he placed an order for 21 ecstasy pills through his long-time friend and alleged peddler Anand Patel.
Raunak Rahul Khandelwal, 25, also a second-year MBA student and classmate of the victims, allegedly served as an internal distributor at the venue. He is accused of passing the pills to classmates, including Rai and Salvi, during the concert. Salvi’s statement, cited in the remand application, said they received “Mercedes” ecstasy pills directly from Khandelwal during the event.
Ayush Vickey Sahitya, 24, a resident of Ulhasnagar, is considered by investigators to be the main supplier of the ecstasy pills. He allegedly operated in financial partnership with Vineet Sunil Garelani, 22, a recent graduate of a prominent South Mumbai college, with their drug-related dealings allegedly documented through UPI transactions. During a search of Garelani’s residence, police recovered five “Mercedes” ecstasy pills.
Anand Laxman Patel, 24, a resident of Khadakpada in Kalyan, allegedly acted as the link between professional suppliers and student buyers. After allegedly procuring the pills from the Sahitya-Garelani partnership, Patel is accused of handing them to Shubh Agarwal for the final leg of delivery. Patel’s lawyers have denied the allegations and said no contraband was recovered from his residence.
Shubh Agarwal, 22, a management student at an Andheri-based college who lived in the same Kalyan locality, allegedly acted as the courier. Police claim he took the 21 ecstasy pills and delivered them to Pandey’s hostel in South Mumbai on Patel’s instructions.
Police say Sahitya, Garelani, Patel and Agarwal were present at the NESCO concert despite not having valid passes. They allegedly bribed security guard Pradeep Gupta, 28, who was posted at the entry gate, to enter the venue and bypass security checks. Gupta is being questioned to determine whether other employees of his security firm were involved in or aware of the arrangement.
The organisers and venue management are also under scrutiny. Akash Banmari Samal, 31, proprietor of Inspiring Tie Production, the firm that organised the concert in tie-up with NESCO, has been accused of failing to ensure attendee safety. Police also arrested NESCO Vice President Balakrishnan Balram Kurup, 46, and Sunny Vinod Jain, 31, an employee handling security at the venue.
NESCO has denied wrongdoing and said it maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy towards illegal substances on its premises. The company said there was no lapse or negligence on its part and that its employees had discharged their responsibilities in line with established procedures.
Senior officers of Mumbai police have said EDM concerts will now face stricter scrutiny before receiving permissions. Police are also looking for a bigger drug supplier allegedly connected to the case, and further arrests are likely.
