Sushant Singh Rajput case: NCB aiming to uproot Bollywood drug citadel; may involve 'big perons'

As it made the first arrests vis-à-vis the mysterious death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was working towards uprooting the Bollywood drug citadel.

Besides, the NCB, the premier agency, also hinted that the case has international ramifications and some big persons involved.

The revelation came when Sushant’s live-in partner actor-model Rhea Chakrabory’s brother Showik and the actor’s house manager Samuel Miranda were sent to four days’ police custody.

“The NCB is investigating the drug angle in the late Sushant Singh Rajput case and therefore it is highly substantive and needs to be investigated thoroughly so as to uproot drug citadel in Mumbai, especially in Bollywood,” special public prosecutor Atul Sarpande and NBC intelligence officer K Kiran Babu said in the remand application made before the Esplanade magistrate’s court.

Meanwhile, NCB’s deputy director general Mutha Ashok Jain said that the NCB is a premier agency and indicated that Rhea would be summoned. “We will be asking her (Rhea) to join the investigation, and maybe to some other people as well,” Jain said.

“We will look into the inter-state and international connections in the drugs angle,” the senior officer said, indicating extensive investigations and raids in Mumbai.

The magistrate’s court remanded Showik and Miranda till 9 September.

On the other hand, Kaizen Ibrahim was sent to judicial remand for 14 days.

Two alleged drug peddlers Abdel Basit Parihar and Zaid Vilatra too are in remand till 9 September.

“We have four persons with us (Showik, Samuel, Abdel and Zaid)…we will question them and confront them,” NCB officials said.

The accused has been booked under various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

Making a case for Rhea’s custodial interrogation, the NCB has told the court that Showik has to be confronted with her sister and Sushant’s house help Dipesh Sawant.

“The custodial interrogation (of Showik) is required to uncover various other linkages of the network who indulged in selling and purchasing narcotics drugs…. The financial trial of all their previous transactions of drug purchase have to be verified,” the remand note states.

In what suggests a big possible crackdown, the NCB has told the court that “some characters” are to be verified who as per CDR analysis, WhatsApp chats and preliminary interrogation are deeply entrenched in the drug trafficking which is a serious threat to public safety and health. “As per CDR analysis few characters are absconding and yet to be uncovered,” the court was informed.

The NCB said that Showik used to facilitate drug deliveries and payments through credit cards, cash payment gateways for the contraband.

Showik’s name cropped up after the NCB’s Mumbai and New Delhi teams on 28 August nabbed Abbas Lakhani and Karn Arora from old Kurla and Chandivali, Powai, each with possession of 46 grams of marijuana/ganja and 13 grams, respectively.

They disclosed the involvement of Zaid Vilatra whose home was raided to unearth Rs 9.50 lakh, USD-2,081, 180 British Pounds and UAE 15 Dirhams which they confessed were the proceeds of sale of drugs like marijuana/ganja/bud to many people in the city. Vilatra revealed the name of Abdel Basit Parihar.

The NCB described Abdel as an ‘active member’ of a drug syndicate with high profile customer and narcotics suppliers - on his interrogation revealed the further modus operandi of the narco-business.

He told the NCB that he purchased the drugs from Vilatra and Kaizan Ebrahim on instructions from Showik, facilitated drugs and was in touch with both Showik and Miranda.