Mumbai police file chargesheet against Pune businessman Fayyaz Premji over mass poisoning plot

Mumbai police have filed a 700-page chargesheet against a Pune businessman accused of trying to poison 15,000 people during a religious procession in the city.

Fayyaz Premji, a 39-year-old paint manufacturer who holds a business administration degree, allegedly targeted a Moharram procession in South Mumbai. Police say his plot was fueled by deep personal resentment against members of his own religious community.

He is currently being held in Arthur Road Jail as legal proceedings begin.

The thwarted Moharram plot

According to police filings submitted to a Mazgaon court, the plot unfolded in June during the annual Moharram commemorations. Premji allegedly traveled from Pune to Mumbai, checking into a local lodge in the Dongri neighborhood.

For two weeks, he worked inside his room to assemble a lethal operation. Police state he had purchased 50 kilograms of zinc phosphide, a highly toxic chemical commonly used as rat poison, alongside 30,000 empty capsule shells.

His plan was to distribute the chemical under the guise of medical aid. During the procession, Premji allegedly handed out the filled capsules to participants, telling them they were painkillers and immunity boosters designed to ease the physical toll of self-flagellation.

Arrest in the crowd

On 26 June, police officers deployed for security duty noticed Premji actively distributing the pills to the crowd. Suspicious of his actions, the officers intervened and detained him on the spot.

By the time of his arrest, Premji had already distributed several capsules. Police managed to recover 14,900 prepared capsules from his possession before they could be given to more victims.

At least ten people are believed to have swallowed the pills. One participant, 26-year-old Salman Sayeed, began vomiting and experiencing severe abdominal discomfort shortly after taking a capsule. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors treated him for poisoning. Police sources noted that while at least ten people fell ill, only two formally approached the authorities after seeking medical help.

Community grievance and legal charges

When questioned by investigators, Premji initially maintained that the capsules were harmless pain relief. However, further interrogation revealed a darker motive. Police officers reported that Premji appeared mentally disturbed and expressed intense anger toward members of the Khoja Shia community, claiming they had made his life miserable.

Investigators have charged Premji with attempted murder. The newly filed chargesheet includes detailed statements from more than 30 witnesses who saw Premji at the scene or were involved in the subsequent investigation.

While preliminary forensic tests on the seized capsules confirmed the presence of zinc phosphide, the final chemical analysis from the Forensic Science Laboratory is still pending. Police officials said they will present the final laboratory findings to the court in a supplementary chargesheet once the reports are processed.