Ahmedabad’s Special Operations Group (SOG) Crime Branch apprehended Dharmesh Chunara, an Indian national who had fled a Nepalese prison during widespread protests. Chunara, a resident of Ahmedabad, was captured based on intelligence inputs from central agencies about escaped Indian prisoners from Nepal. He was arrested at Kathmandu airport last year for possessing 13 kg of hybrid ganja worth around Rs 13 crore.
Following his arrest in Nepal, Chunara was held at Bhadra Jail in Kathmandu where he escaped during violent protests. The Nepal government shared a list of escaped prisoners, including Indian nationals, with Indian authorities. Acting on this information, the CID Crime Branch in Gandhinagar located Chunara in Ahmedabad with the help of human intelligence and technical surveillance.
Chunara confessed during initial questioning that he escaped from Bhadra Jail and re-entered India via the Sunauli border before returning to Ahmedabad. He was found hiding at a relative’s residence in the city and detained for further legal proceedings. Investigations revealed his involvement in drug trafficking due to heavy debts, with another accused from Surat still at large.
Ahmedabad Crime Branch JCP Sharad Singhal mentioned that coordination with central agencies is ongoing for extradition and prosecution procedures. While no criminal case has been filed against Chunara in Ahmedabad, authorities are probing his potential ties to local drug trafficking networks operating between Nepal and India.
