Navi Mumbai: Belapur Builder Dies by Suicide Amid Son’s Alleged Drug Trafficking Probe

Navi Mumbai, 26th April 2025: A prominent builder from Belapur died by suicide on Friday, with investigators attributing the tragedy to overwhelming stress linked to his elder son’s alleged involvement in an international drug trafficking network under investigation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

According to officials, the builder allegedly shot himself between 6:30 am and 6:45 am at his office, situated within the same premises as his residence. A family member discovered the incident and immediately informed the police.

Two notes were recovered from the scene — one, a detailed letter addressed to top political leaders and law enforcement authorities, and the second, a handwritten note believed to have been written just moments before his death.

The longer letter, penned in Marathi, detailed the builder’s life journey — from working over three decades as a dockhand at Mumbai Port Trust to building a career in real estate. He expressed pride in his integrity and commitment to living a clean life, distancing himself from any illicit activities.

However, he described his heartbreak upon learning — five years ago — about his son’s troubling associations and alleged criminal conduct. The builder claimed that he and his wife had publicly disowned their son in response. Despite his son’s assurances of reform, his recent implication in a major narcotics case shattered the builder’s hopes.

Family friends revealed that the builder had faced intense scrutiny, receiving multiple summonses as authorities allegedly treated him as a suspect despite no evidence linking him to criminal activities. “The pressure was relentless,” said a close associate, adding that investigators also targeted his younger son and a nephew who once managed his business and is now jailed.

In his final letter, the builder accused certain NCB officials and political operatives of demanding hefty bribes to exonerate him. He lamented that, despite living a simple and honest life, he lacked the financial means to meet such demands.

Sources said the builder had been summoned multiple times as part of the financial probe into his son’s activities. The investigation traces back to three major drug seizures since 2021, including a recent bust where a parcel containing 200 grams of cocaine led to the discovery of a narcotics stockpile worth over ₹200 crore in Navi Mumbai, consisting of cocaine, hydroponic cannabis, and cannabis-infused edibles.

Four individuals linked to the drug syndicate, allegedly connected to networks in the United States, have been arrested. Meanwhile, authorities have secured a non-bailable warrant against the builder’s son and are seeking an Interpol Red Corner Notice through the CBI to bring him to justice.