Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is investigating the ‘drug angle’ in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case. The NCB has gathered vital leads on other cartels supplying drugs to several personalities of the Hindi film industry here. The NCB has got the leads following the interrogation of two drug peddlers, Abbas Lakhani and Karan Arora. This information was given to this agency by highly placed sources in the NCB.
Based on these leads, the NCB will shortly launch a nationwide crackdown on cartels involved in drug trafficking here. Raids will also be conducted in other cities too.
The entire operation to unearth big-time drug syndicates is being supervised by NCB chief Rakesh Asthana. He had earlier cracked one of the biggest international cocaine syndicates in India originating from Columbia. The bust-up happened late last year.
Top sources in NCB said that electronic evidence has been gathered by the bureau during the interrogation of Lakhani and Arora. It has revealed that leading Bollywood personalities were not just getting supply of marijuana or buds. High quality cocaine was also being pushed into the film industry.
The NCB sleuths are gathering more evidence which eventually would result in a ‘nationwide coordinated action’. It will be against drug cartels, hawala operators and key peddlers involved in supplying narcotic substances to some of the best known names in the film Industry.
Based on the WhatsApp chats of actress Rhea Chakravarty related to supply of buds, the NCB has apprehended an eatery shop owner in Bandra named Zaid Vilatra. The link between Zaid, Abbas and Karan was later established. Interrogation of another suspect, Basit Parhiar, also gave important clues to the NCB.
The investigation into the drug connection in the Sushant Singh Rajput case has so far revealed many aspects. Besides supplying buds, certain cocaine cartels active here were also supplying high quality drugs to various filmstars.
Cocaine priced at Rs 5 crore per kg is a highly expensive party drug usually supplied to high-end customers in the metros. In Sushant’s case, the WhatsApp chats suggest that only buds were being delivered.
“However, the peddlers during their sustained interrogation revealed that the cartels active in Mumbai were also supplying cocaine to certain clients,” a source added.
When asked about the involvement of cartels in pushing drugs to hi-end clients, including film personalities here, Asthana refused to divulge any information.
“The matter is very sensitive. At this stage we cannot share any information. The agency will inform, if there are any further arrests,” Asthana told this agency.