The Narcotics Control Bureau on Wednesday said it has arrested two people in Mumbai in connection with the case registered to investigate the drug angle linked to Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, ANI reported.
Those arrested have been identified as Zaid Vilatra and Abdul Basit Parihar. The agency said Parihar knew actor Rhea Chakraborty’s associate Samuel Miranda, who is accused of procuring drugs on instructions of Chakraborty’s brother. Miranda was also Rajput’s former housekeeping manager, according to Hindustan Times. Rajput’s family has accused Miranda of helping Chakraborty in siphoning off the actor’s money and supplying drugs.
“Zaid disclosed that he runs an eatery in Bandra which was not giving any pecuniary gains since lockdown,” the NCB said, according to PTI. “He also disclosed that he is into drug peddling especially bud, through which he used to earn a substantial amount of money.”
Officials of the anti-narcotics agency have recovered foreign currency (USD 2,081, 180 British Pound, 15 dirhams) and Rs 9,55,750 from Vilatra’s possession, which they claimed to be “proceeds of drug peddling”.
The Narcotics Control Bureau is the latest agency to be drawn into the case involving the death of the 34-year-old actor, which is already being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. The agency has registered the case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, based on evidence shared by the ED about the suspected role of some persons dealing in banned or controlled drugs. Last week, two more people were arrested in the case, PTI reported.
A special NCB team from Delhi, headed by Deputy Director (Operations) KPS Malhotra, is in Mumbai for investigation. The team also includes agency officers from Mumbai and has been constituted by NCB Director General Rakesh Asthana.
On Tuesday, Chakraborty’s parents were questioned by the CBI, who have been named in the first information report filed in Bihar by Rajput’s father, NDTV reported. The CBI is looking into the case registered on a complaint from Rajput’s father KK Singh, alleging abetment to suicide, criminal conspiracy, cheating, theft, wrongful restraint and confinement. Chakraborty’s brother, Showik, has been questioned for five days straight, and the 28-year-old actor has been questioned for around 35 hours over the last four days in the case.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate is investigating the money laundering angle.
Rajput was found dead in his apartment in Bandra on June 14, in what the Mumbai Police said was a case of suicide.
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