NCB arrests Rajput’s flatmate in drugs case
Siddharth Pithani was produced before the court in Hyderabad, which granted his transit warrant
In a major development in the Sushant Singh Rajput (SSR) drugs case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested Siddharth Pithani, the late actor’s flat mate, it said on Friday. With this, the total number of people arrested in the case has reached 35.
According to the Zonal Director of the Mumbai Unit of NCB, Sameer Wankhede, the investigating agency stated in a follow up action in NCB Mumbai CR 16/20 that a team of the Mumbai Unit arrested Pithani at Hyderabad on May 26. Earlier, notices u/s 67 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were served to Pithani, but he did not join the investigation.
"The Mumbai Unit gathered intelligence about the whereabouts of the said accused in Hyderabad, Telangana. Accordingly, on May 25, a team from the unit was deputed to Hyderabad in search of the accused, who has been long absconding and fleeing from justice. The escort team of the unit was assisted by NCB, Sub Zonal Unit at Hyderabad," Wankhede said.
Pithani was produced before the court in Hyderabad, which granted his transit warrant. He was then brought to Mumbai and was produced before the court in Mumbai on Friday, which remanded Pithani to NCB custody till June 1.
Appearing for NCB, special public prosecutor Advait Sethna told a magistrate court that Pithani is a ' prime suspect' in the drugs case. His role with regards to the procurement, supply, distribution and transport of contraband has to be probed as these all constitute illegal trafficking.
Pithani was brought to the city by the NCB at 4 am on Friday, the prosecutor informed. The agency further told the court that it has reliable information in connection to his role in violation of the NDPS Act.
To get to the root of the matter since he was residing with the late actor for a significant period of time and to examine issues in detail, his custodial interrogation is imperative.