MAPUSA
Colvale police on Friday arrested the fourth suspect, Pandurang Pednekar, in connection with the drug smuggling case at Colvale Central Jail. Pednekar is currently serving a 12-year rigorous imprisonment sentence after being convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2018.
Police have so far arrested GHRDC security guard Asha Chodankar, undertrial Rovina Lobo of Siolim, undertrial Yogesh Mandrekar of Mapusa and prisoner Pandurang Pednekar of Mapusa. Asha and Rovina have been released on conditional bail by the Mapusa court.
The drug smuggling racket was uncovered on August 18 at around 8.10 am, when security personnel allegedly found drugs worth Rs 30,000 hidden in a thermos flask carried by GHRDC security guard Asha Chodankar as she entered the jail to report for duty. Three mobile phones and three ATM cards were later found in her locker.
Chodankar was arrested the same day. During police interrogation, undertrial Rovina Lobo was allegedly linked to the drug smuggling racket and was arrested on August 22.
Following Rovina’s confession, police arrested undertrial Yogesh Mandrekar on August 25, while Pednekar was arrested on Friday.
Colvale police, under the guidance of Police Inspector Sanjit Kandolkar, are investigating the financial transactions linked to the smuggling operation and the drug supply chain.
