Pune Police Seize Banned Gutkha & Pan Masala Worth Rs 1.24 Lakh in Kalepadal; One Arrested
Hadapsar, 26th June 2026: The Kalepadal police arrested a 24-year-old youth and seized banned scented gutkha, pan masala, and tobacco products valued at ₹1,24,420 across two consecutive raids.
The arrested individual has been identified as Sheraram Kanaram Devasi (24), a resident of Kalepadal, Hadapsar, Pune.
According to police officials, the operation was initiated following a specific, confidential tip-off received by constables Amol Phadtare and Mahadev Shinde. Acting on this intelligence, a police team intercepted Devasi near Kanjarbhat Vasti, close to the Dhere Company in Kalepadal, Hadapsar. Upon searching him, police recovered banned pan masala and tobacco-based products worth ₹15,420 which he was transporting for illegal sale. Devasi was immediately taken into custody.
Following his arrest, Kalepadal police registered a case under Crime Register (C.R.) No. 281/2026. The accused has been booked under Sections 123, 223, 274, and 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023; Sections 7(2) and 20(2) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003; and Section 26(2)(i)(iv) of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.
During interrogation, Devasi confessed that the seized consignment was supplied to him by a friend for retail distribution. He revealed that his associate was actively supplying gutkha and other tobacco products to local vendors throughout the Kalepadal region and had stockpiled the contraband in a secure facility.
Acting on these disclosures, the police raided a locked room located in Ketkeshwar Colony, Lane No. 15, Kalepadal. The search yielded another substantial stash of banned pan masala, tobacco products, and scented gutkha worth ₹1,09,000, bringing the total value of the seized contraband in this case to ₹1,24,420.
The operation was conducted under the direct guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police (East Regional Division) Manoj Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 6) Jeevan Beniwal, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Hadapsar Division) Atulkumar Navgire, and Senior Police Inspector (Kalepadal Police Station) Girisha Nimbalkar.
Following the directives of Police Inspector (Crime) Annaso Babar, the investigation team was led by Assistant Police Inspector Amit Shete and Police Sub-Inspector Vinayak Gurav, along with police personnel Pravin Kalbhor, Daud Sayyad, Pratik Lahigude, Shahid Shaikh, Santosh Shende, Nilesh Desai, Atul Pandharkar, Vishal Thombare, Laxman Kale, Nitin Dhole, Saddam Tamboli, Pradeep Bediskar, and Giriraj Jagdale.
