Arms dealer found in possession of MD worth Rs 26 lakh

Kolhapur: The police arrested Manish Nagori, a criminal-on-record mainly indulging in illegal trade of firearms, on Saturday after recovering 835g of banned methamphetamine, worth Rs 26 lakh, from two vehicles belonging to him.The arrest followed an investigation into a recent shooting in which a man on bail was shot at by another person who is currently in custody. The man who was attacked was critically injured. He was attacked after he left the office of the deputy superintendent of police, Ichalkaranji, where he was called for inquiry pertaining to the case registered against him.The police found that the man who attacked the victim had got the firearm from Nagori, who lives in Yadrav town. Nagori (37) is was known for providing firearms and has more than 20 cases registered at various police stations under the Arms Act."We found 835g of banned methamphetamine from two of Nagori's vehicles — a four-wheeler and a two-wheeler — along with a weighing scale and a spatula. We have recovered four unused bullets from his apartment. We are investigating whether he possesses firearms that may be hidden. We are also going to investigate the drug supply chain — source to customer — during his custody," said Annasaheb Jadhav, the additional police superintendent.The Ichalkaranji police have transferred Nagori's custody to the local crime branch department for further inquiry.Last year, in Feb, Nagori was found lying unconscious under the influence of drugs at Tawade Hotel Chowk. He was then admitted to the CPR Hospital by the Gandhinagar police. Doctors concluded that Nagori had consumed a heavy dose of drugs. He had gone to Mumbai to attend a court hearing in one of his cases and was returning by a private bus when he was dropped off at Tawade Hotel Chowk.