Mumbai witnessed a serious lapse in security on May 16 when an undertrial accused in a drug case managed to escape police custody temporarily and issued threats to a political leader, raising grave questions about the role and efficiency of law enforcement authorities.
According to the written complaint lodged at Agripada Police Station, Imran Khan, an undertrial lodged in Arthur Road Jail in connection with a drug seizure, left the court premises unsupervised after his hearing and headed straight to the office of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Kamgar Sena Vice President Amit Matkar. Wearing a mask and reportedly riding pillion on a friend’s bike, Imran reached Matkar’s office on J.R. Boricha Marg and allegedly threatened him, saying, “Why are you sitting here? This is not a place for you. Leave, or else face the consequences.” He fled the spot soon after.
The incident, which occurred in the jurisdiction of Agripada Police Station, was captured on CCTV installed outside Matkar's office. The MNS leader filed a formal complaint on May 21 and handed over the footage as evidence. However, no FIR has been registered yet. The police have stated that the investigation is underway.
Imran Khan was arrested in December 2024 by Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 4 with 40 kg of ganja and was sent to Arthur Road Jail on December 7. He continues to remain in judicial custody as an undertrial.
Sources reveal that on May 16, he was produced before the Sessions Court in connection with his ongoing case. After the hearing, he was supposed to be escorted back to jail by the armed police escort team. However, during the transition, Imran allegedly broke away from the security cordon and executed the act of intimidation.
Amit Matkar has claimed that Imran is linked to the individual who had allegedly attacked him in a life-threatening assault back in 2017. He believes this latest threat was premeditated and not a coincidence.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the conduct of the escort police team and whether the lapse was a result of negligence or deliberate complicity. Questions are now being asked—was Imran intentionally allowed to escape? Was it a security breach or a larger conspiracy?
While the police continue to maintain that the matter is under investigation, their delay in registering an FIR and taking concrete action has sparked widespread criticism and fueled suspicions regarding the seriousness with which the case is being handled.