The Unit 7 of the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a jail police constable posted at Solapur prison in connection with the Satara MD drugs factory case. The arrested accused has been identified as Balu Chavan, who allegedly assisted the main accused, Faiyaz Sheikh, in operating a drug syndicate from inside the jail.
According to sources, Faiyaz Sheikh, the prime accused in the Satara drugs factory case, has been lodged in Solapur jail for the past one and a half years. Investigations have revealed that despite being behind bars, he continued to run his narcotics network. Officials stated that Balu Chavan allegedly allowed Sheikh to use his mobile phone, enabling him to coordinate and control the drug syndicate from prison.
Police sources further claimed that Chavan received hefty sums of money in exchange for facilitating Sheikh’s illegal operations. With Chavan’s alleged assistance, Sheikh is believed to have restarted the MD drugs manufacturing operation in Satara.
During the probe, it emerged that the MD drugs factory was set up on December 9, 2025, in a field at Savari village in Jaoli taluka of Satara district. Acting on specific intelligence, Unit 7 of the Mumbai Crime Branch raided the facility on December 13, 2025, and busted the factory. During the operation, MD drugs and related materials worth approximately ₹115 crore were seized.
The case came to light after police arrested an accused selling MD drugs in Mulund. Information obtained during interrogation led investigators to the Satara factory.
Balu Chavan was produced before the court and has been remanded to police custody until February 21. Meanwhile, police are continuing their investigation to trace other members of the drug network.
Sources added that Faiyaz Sheikh’s son, Fahad Sheikh, has also been named as an accused in the case and is currently absconding in Dubai. He is alleged to have coordinated the drug trade operations from Dubai, including managing the movement of drugs and funds across locations.