Goa Restaurant Owner Linked To BJP Leader’s Death Arrested In Drugs Case

Hours after his bail in a separate case, Edwin Nunes, the owner of Curlies restaurant, was arrested by Telangana Police from Anjuna in Goa in a drug case yesterday.

Nunes was among the five persons arrested after the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat this September. He was later out on bail.

The Phogat death case is being probed by the CBI. Curlies restaurant was in the news after it was found that Ms Phogat had partied at the outlet just hours before her death.

Nunes is among dozens of drug dealers wanted by the police in Hyderabad, following a drug-bust in Telangana three months ago. Sources said police from Telangana’s Lalaguda were camping in Goa after the Additional Sessions Court in Mapusa had ordered Nunes, earlier this week, to surrender before the police in Anjuna for forging a COVID-19 certificate.

Immediately after his bail yesterday, he was arrested with the assistance of local police and taken to Hyderabad.

“He walked out of police custody after complying with the bail conditions imposed by the court. Police from Hyderabad were already at the police station, waiting for him. They took him into custody over cases registered against him in Telangana,” a senior officer said in Panaji.

Sources also said that Nunes’ family members were in Hyderabad ever since he filed for anticipatory bail before various courts.

While he made several attempts to evade arrest, the High Court of Telangana last week directed him to surrender before Lalaguda police on November 7.

Senior Counsel appearing for Nunes argued there was no specific complaint against his client.

The Assistant Public Prosecutor, however, submitted that Nunes was involved in several cases and was a drug peddler operating from Goa.