Sandalwood drug scandal: Peddler from Kerala in CCB net

Central Crime Branch (CCB) police have arrested one more accused in the Sandalwood drug scandal.

The arrested has been identified as Niyaz, a native of Kerala settled in Bengaluru for the past five years. Niyaz has been running a modelling company and a club, both of which have been currently closed.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Niyaz had links with actress Ragini Dwivedi, her friend Ravi Shankar and others accused in the case, an investigating officer said. While running his business, Niyaz organised parties and had himself been a guest at many grand parties attended by celebrities, businessmen, and other prominent people.

Niyaz has been taken into police custody for interrogation. He came in contact with Ragini through these parties. Later, they met at more parties and remained in contact via phone and messages.

A few of those messages are reportedly about drugs, an investigating officer said.

Niyaz has also been in touch with Viren Khanna, Rahul and others. He is said to have sourced drugs from peddlers in Kerala and supplied it to people attending the parties, the officer added.

Custody of two extended

The police custody of Khanna, Rahul, and other accused persons ended on Monday, following which the police produced them before the court and took them back in custody.

The police continued to interrogate all the accused persons, besides continuing to quiz Mangaluru-based Pruthvi Shetty.

A police officer said Shetty ran an event management company in partnership with a Sandalwood actress. Both the actress and Pruthvi are suspected to have been involved in drug peddling.

Efforts are on to nab the other accused persons still at large. CCB sources told DH that the investigation has revealed names of politicians’ children and bureaucrats. “If we get evidence, necessary action will be taken against them,” a source said.

Meanwhile, Loum Pepper Samba, the Senegalese national arrested on Saturday, was nabbed by the city police in a drug peddling case in 2018. He came out on bail and continued to sell the drugs.

Despite his visa expiring, officials didn't keep an eye on him or make arrangements to deport him.