Drug Planting Scandal In Kalina: Victims Allege Vakola Police Pressured Them To Sign Document Clearing Accused

In the Kalina drug-planting case involving four police personnel on August 30, 2024, the Vakola police allegedly attempted to pressure the victims into signing a document to close the matter, according to victims Dylan Estbeiro, 31, and Shahbaz Khan, 32. They claim the police called them to the station and insisted they sign a paper, which they believe was aimed at ending the case. Meanwhile, the Vakola police have denied the allegations.

Victim Shahbaz Khan told FPJ that , "The police called us to the station and insisted we sign a paper. I read the document, which initially matched what my lawyer had submitted. But at the end, the police had added two sentences that said, ‘The police investigation was correct, and we made a mistake.’ When I read that, both Dylan and I refused to sign it."

Khan further added, "When I asked the police what would happen if we signed it, they said the case would be closed. But those two lines implied that we had committed a crime and were drug peddlers. The police tried to pressure us, saying, ‘You have already punished the four accused with suspension for six months. Let it go now.’ We refused to sign the paper. If we had committed any crime, the police would not have spared us. The police have not yet recorded the statement of the eyewitness and my friend Sandeep. Moreover, they tried to create a misunderstanding between me and Dylan by bringing up religious differences. I told them Dylan is my childhood friend, and we will always support each other.”

Dylan Estbeiro, 30, reiterated, “Last week, the police called me and Shahbaz to the station and insisted we sign a document. It had two paragraphs. As I started reading it, a constable began talking to me, and I could not finish reading it. Still, neither of us signed. I feel the police wanted to close the case and were trying to manipulate us into agreeing.”

"The victims' lawyer, Akshay Bhole, stated, 'I requested the police to add the names of the accused and provided the details, but they have not included them yet. We will see how it goes or eventually we will approach their senior officers."

As of now, the chargesheet in this matter has not been submitted to the court. Prakash Khandekar, Senior Police Inspector at Vakola Police Station, stated, “We are still investigating the matter. Once we conclude, we will submit the chargesheet to the court. The accused have been granted anticipatory bail.”

There were rumours that one of the accused police personnel had resumed duty, but the police have confirmed that none of the suspended officers have rejoined the force.

The four police personnel allegedly planted drugs in the pocket of an innocent man (Dylan Estbeiro) on August 30, 2024. Three months after the incident, the Vakola police registered the case on December 19, and statements from the accused were recorded in January 2025.

On August 30, PSI Vishwanath Omble and three constables—Imran Shaikh, Sagar Kamble, and Shinde (also known as Dabang Shinde)—in plain clothes from the Khar Police Station visited Shahbaz Khan's livestock farm in Kalina, where Dylan Estbeiro was working. They allegedly planted drugs while frisking Dylan and accused him of drug possession by placing 20 grams of mephedrone in his pocket during a staged search.

The entire incident was captured on CCTV, which Shahbaz Khan later reviewed and shared publicly. Following the release of the footage, the Khar police released Dylan. The incident sparked widespread public outrage, leading then-Deputy Commissioner Raj Tilak Roushan to suspend all four officers on August 31.

The case was officially registered on December 19 against API Vishwanath Omble and constables Imran Shaikh, Sagar Kamble, and Shinde. Nearly three and a half months after the incident, the Vakola police filed the case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including section 198 (public servant disobeying the law with intent to cause injury), 199 (public servant disobeying directions under the law),137(2) (kidnapping), 127(1) (wrongful confinement), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means).