Raipur>> Arrest of Shubham Soni, the right-hand man of the mastermind “Professor” aka Ayush Agrawal, who operated the MDMA drug racket using names from the popular Netflix series “Money Heist”
Three accused, including Shubham Soni, arrested
Action taken under the “Nijaat” campaign by Raipur Police
- Shubham Soni was arrested red-handed with MDMA drugs near Kamal Vihar, Sector 4, Tikrapara, with a police team member posing as a customer.
- Soni worked alongside Ayush Agrawal, who is in jail for an MDMA drug case under Khamardih Police.
- After Agrawal’s arrest, Soni operated the drug racket with accomplice Abhishek Sahu.
- Soni had separated from Ayush Agrawal a few months before Agrawal’s arrest in the Khamardih case.
- During his time with Agrawal, Soni connected with drug peddlers and users.
- They sourced MDMA drugs from Manali, Himachal Pradesh.
- To conceal his identity, Sahu used the alias “Jimmy Roy” and had a WhatsApp DP of notorious drug dealer Pablo Escobar.
- For his safety, Soni kept a pistol, sourced from one Sonu Agrawal.
- Seizures include 4 packets of charas, 98 MDMA tablets, 1 electronic weighing machine, 100 empty capsules, 100 plastic capsule covers, and cash.
- A total of 2 smartphones and 1 pistol with a magazine were also seized.
- Total value of seized items: approximately ₹6,00,000.
- Further investigation on backend and forward linkages is ongoing.
- A case under crime number 735/24, section 23B Narcotics Act and 25 Arms Act, has been registered at Tikrapara police station.
Details: Under the direction of Senior Superintendent of Police Dr. Santosh Kumar Singh, Raipur Police is conducting a special campaign against drugs as part of the “Nijaat” initiative. The Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit teams, along with all police stations, are continuously taking action. A special team has been formed to enforce the Narcotics Act, and all police station in-charges have been directed to take strict action against those involved in drug sales and supply.
On 13.05.2024, based on information from the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit, a total of 4 people, including a woman, were arrested for selling MDMA drugs using aliases inspired by Netflix’s popular series “Money Heist.” Seized items included 2100 mg of MDMA, 6600 mg of cocaine, an electronic scale, 8 mobile phones, ₹86,000 in cash, gold chains, a laptop, an iPad, ATM cards, a SIM card, and an Audi car, valued at around ₹50 lakhs. A case under crime number 205/24, sections 21 and 22 of the Narcotics Act, was registered at Khamardih Police Station.
While investigating, the team identified another racket operating parallelly in the city. Shubham Soni was identified as a seller of MDMA drugs, and information indicated that he also carried a pistol for protection. Under the supervision of senior officers, a trap was set, and Soni was caught red-handed near Kamal Vihar, Sector 4, with drugs during a sale. Upon searching his bag, the team found charas, MDMA tablets, a pistol with a magazine, empty capsules, smartphones, and cash.
During interrogation, Soni revealed that he had been working with Ayush Agrawal, who is now in jail, and that he continued the drug trade with Abhishek Sahu after Agrawal’s arrest. Sahu sourced the MDMA from Manali, and Soni used the alias “Jimmy Roy” on WhatsApp to conceal his identity, with Pablo Escobar as his DP. Soni also admitted to sourcing a pistol from Sonu Agrawal for ₹1 lakh. Both Sahu and Agrawal were later arrested.
All three accused have been arrested, and seized from their possession were:
- 4 packets of charas,
- 98 MDMA tablets,
- 1 pistol with a magazine,
- 2 smartphones,
- 1 electronic weighing machine,
- 100 empty capsules,
- 100 plastic capsule covers, and
- Cash valued at around ₹6,00,000.
A case under crime number 735/2024, section 23B of the Narcotics Act and 25 of the Arms Act, has been registered at Tikrapara Police Station.
Arrested Accused:
- Shubham Soni, age 27, resident of Durgapara, Santoshi Nagar, Tikrapara, Raipur.
- Abhishek Sahu aka Cheeni, age 27, resident of Nehru Nagar, Kotwali, Raipur.
- Lokesh Agrawal aka Sonu, age 38, resident of New Pond, Ward No. 16, Gudhiyari, Raipur.
Police team involved: Inspector Manoj Sahu (Tikrapara), Anti-Crime Unit in-charge Inspector Paresh Pandey, and several other officers.
