SSR case: NCB establishes link between Rhea's brother, arrested drug-peddler
Showik, the brother of actor Rhea Chakraborty, was in touch with Zaid Vilatra, an alleged drug dealer, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), that started probing the drug angle in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, has found, reports said on Wednesday. 20-year-old Zaid was arrested yesterday and is believed to have revealed details about his business to NCB. Here's more on this.
Showik told Sushant's manager to give money to Zaid
A report in India Today claimed Showik gave Zaid's contact details to Samuel Miranda, Sushant's manager in March. Before Miranda contacted Zaid, he spoke to one Basit Parihar, who has also been questioned by the agency. Showik is believed to have told Samuel to pay Rs. 10,000 to Zaid for 5g of drugs. When he was grilled, Zaid admitted he received the aforementioned amount.
Zaid's business suffered during lockdown, he earned money through drugs
Zaid, NCB said, ran a food joint in Bandra but the coronavirus-induced lockdown adversely affected his business. "He disclosed that he peddles drugs, especially bud (curated marijuana), through which he used to earn a substantial amount of money," NCB told PTI. The agency retrieved $2,081, £180, 15 dirhams, and Rs. 9,55,750 from Zaid; money that he earned through his notorious business.
Drug dealers in Maharashtra, Goa, and Delhi on NCB's scanner
A report in NDTV claimed the agency is in possession of chats between Parihar and Showik pertaining to cannabis. "Parihar was picked up based on information by Zaid. Abbas Lakhani, who was arrested last week along with Karan Arora for allegedly trafficking drugs, led the probe team to Zaid," an NCB official said. Drug peddlers in Maharashtra, Delhi, and Goa are also on NCB's radar.
NCB came into the picture after ED flagged problematic chats
To note, NCB was involved in the case after ED, which was probing financial wrongdoings after Sushant's family leveled serious allegations against Rhea, shared her chats. She allegedly discussed banned narcotics substances with Goa-based hotelier Gaurav Arya. Subsequently, a case was registered against Rhea and others under Sections 20(b), 28, 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Accused of serious offenses, Rhea claimed Sushant was "addicted"
Meanwhile, in a series of TV interviews that she gave last week, Rhea claimed she has never consumed drugs and was ready for a blood test. She claimed Sushant smoked up weed, despite her protests. Sushant's family has, however, alleged that Rhea "drugged" the 34-year-old actor. Calling her a "murderer," Sushant's father KK Singh demanded Rhea's immediate arrest last week.
CBI is probing the case that has caught nation's attention
Bollywood's promising star Sushant was found dead in his Mumbai home on June 14, triggering an outpouring of grief. A few weeks later, his family accused Rhea of abetment of suicide and filed an FIR with Bihar Police. As Maharashtra and Bihar Police remained at loggerheads over the case, the demand for CBI inquiry grew. Last month, the Supreme Court tasked the premier investigative agency with the probe.
