The special court for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases here today extended the police custody of five policemen, arrested for connections with drug peddler Shashikala alias Baby Patankar, till June 8.
The crime branch of Mumbai police had last week arrested senior police inspector Suhas Gokhale of anti-narcotics cell of police and four others.
It said that Gokhale and other officers helped Patankar evade arrest after her partner, head constable Dharmaraj Kalokhe, was arrested following seizure of 110 kg of party drug mephedrone from his house in Satara district.
Police later found more quantity of the drug in Kalokhe's locker at Marine Drive police station here.
The crime branch today told the court that the accused police officers helped Patankar escape when Kalokhe was arrested. They instructed her to switch off her phone.
While extending the police custody of all the five police officials, the judge observed "I have perused the call data record. Apparently, almost all the accused were in touch with Patankar."
The defence advocates denied the allegation and sought judicial custody for the accused but the court said police should get the opportunity to collect more evidence.
