What began as a terrifying midnight “raid” on a Navi Mumbai family by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in February 2025 has culminated in a high-profile FIR against top officers of the agency. This comes nearly a year after the builder died by suicide, alleging that the officers put his family through weeks of harassment, followed by a chilling ultimatum to pay a staggering Rs 15 crore to have their children’s names “scrubbed” from a fabricated drug case.
Deceased builder Gurunath Chinchkar’s wife, Dr Kiran Chinchkar, registered an FIR at the NRI Coastal police station at Seawoods, Navi Mumbai, on Friday. Three officers — including NCB Zonal Director Amit Ghawate — have been booked for abetment of suicide under Section 108 of the BNS.
According to the FIR, the ordeal began on February 2, 2025, when a team of 15-20 men, allegedly led by NCB officer Akash Malik, stormed the Chinchkar residence. Without showing a search warrant, the team reportedly snatched the family members’ mobile phones and passports, and manhandled the domestic workers.
The complaint alleges that the intimidation moved from the living room to NCB’s Zonal Office. There, Zonal Director Amit Ghawate allegedly told the family if they didn’t pay r15 crore, they would have to watch their sons rot in prison in a fake drug case.
The FIR mentions that Senior PI Sandeep Nigde from Belapur joined the fray, allegedly visiting the victim’s office with a “criminal suspect” in tow to further humiliate and threaten Gurunath.
On April 25, 2025, the pressure reached its breaking point. Gurunath, who had been hospitalised just days prior for stress-related hypertension, told his wife he had an early “NCB meeting.” Instead, he went to his office and ended his life with a firearm. A suicide note was found at the scene, which the police have now used as the primary basis for the FIR.
Dr Kiran told this paper, “They didn’t just want money; they wanted to destroy our dignity. My husband was a broken man before he pulled the trigger.”
Under Inspector Devendra Pol, the NRI Coastal Police are now scrutinising CCTV footage from the Chinchkar residence and the NCB office to verify the allegations of “marathon interrogation” sessions mentioned in the FIR.
Sunday mid-day’s repeated attempts to contact NCB went unanswered till the time of going to press.
Rs 15 cr
Amount the officers allegedly demanded
The allegations
. Dr Chinchkar claims NCB team stormed their home at midnight without search warrant
. NCB officers forced them to sign panchnamas (seizure documents) without providing copies
. Officers kept the husband and wife in “illegal custody” until 9 pm on multiple occasions
. The agents demanded Rs 15 crore to clear their sons’ names
Officers booked
NCB Zonal Director Amit Ghawate: Allegedly demanded r15 crore and threatened family
NCB Officer Akash Malik: Led the initial “unauthorised” raid and seizure
Senior PI (Belapur police) Sandeep Nigde: Alleged verbal abuse and constant phone harassment
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