Even after a week of the Mombasa Police declaring that they would write to the Director of Criminal Investigation, Interpol in Kenya, to seek legal co-operation of the Indian Police in the investigation against drug-trafficker Ali Punjani, no such request has reached the Mumbai Police. This in turn has paved the way for Punjani to move out of the BKC hotel, where he was staying after being discharged from hospital, and take shelter in an undisclosed location, the Mumbai police have said. However, Mombasa County police commander Augustine Nthumbi told mid-day that Punjani had not entered Kenya.

A police officer said they had been waiting for the administrative request from their Mombasa counterparts. "A request to either detain or arrest Punjani has not reached us yet. We have learnt that he has already checked out of the BKC hotel where he was staying with his sister after being discharged from hospital," the officer added.