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The probe into drugs angle of the Rajput death case led the bureau to the discovery of several “linkages” or drug supply networks, he said.
The NCB is probing the drugs case related to Rajput’s death as well as an alleged nexus between Bollywood and drug peddlers.
Showik Chakraborty’s name came up during the interrogation of alleged drug peddler Basit Parihar, a resident of suburban Bandra, the official said.
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During questioning, Showik accepted that he used to procure weed and bud through Parihar and Kaizan Ebrahim and pass them to his sister Rhea who gave it to Sushant, the official said.
Rajput’s manager Samuel Miranda and cook Dipesh Sawant used to collect the contraband and make `joints’ (marijuana cigarettes) for the deceased actor, he claimed.
The starting point of the entire probe was some WhatsApp chats about drugs that the Enforcement Directorate came across in its money laundering probe against Rhea and her family. The ED informed the NCB about these conversations.
“Based on network analysis undertaken on technical level, the linkages were explored and one of the nodes of the drugs network was busted on the intervening night of August 27 and 28,” the official said.
Abbas Lakhani and Karn Arora were arrested during this raid and bud was seized from their possession, he said.
It led the NCB to Zaid Vilatra, who runs an eatery in Bandra. Zaid was held and Rs 9.55 lakh, USD 2,081, 180 British Pounds and 15 Dirhams were recovered from his possession, the official said.
Zaid allegedly disclosed that these were proceeds of drug peddling. He also said that his eatery business suffered greatly during lockdown, so he took to peddling drugs, mainly bud.
It was his interrogation which led the NCB to Basit Parihar, the official said.
Kaizan Ebrahim’s questioning led the bureau to Anuj Keshwani, his alleged drug supplier. From Keshwani’s house in Bandra, 585 gm of charas, 270 gm for ganja and small quantities of THC and LSD were also seized along with Rs 1.85 lakh in cash.
Following his arrest, “Karanjeet, Fernandis, Gupta, Aftaab Mohammad, Ankush and Sanket” were apprehended, the official said.
Rhea and Showik are now in judicial custody alongwith other arrested accused.
The NCB has so far recorded statements of Bollywood talent manager Jaya Saha, Rajput’s former manager Shruti Modi, producer Madhu Mantenna, fashion designer Simone Khambatta actor Rakul Preet Singh and actor Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash.