Published 12:30 IST, September 4th 2020
NCB strategy for Showik-Miranda drug grilling accessed; will be confronted with Zaid, CDRs
As NCB picked up Rhea's brother Showik, Sushant's ex-flatmate Samuel Miranda, sources said that both will be confronted with Zaid Vilatra - who was apprehended
As NCB picked up Rhea's brother Showik Chakraborty and Sushant Singh Rajput's ex-flatmate Samuel Miranda, sources said that both will be first questioned alone and will later be confronted with Zaid Vilatra - who was apprehended by the agency earlier. Sources said that they will be confronted and cross-questioned on the statements of Zaid and drug peddler Basit. Top Sources also told Republic TV that Showik will be quizzed about his past dealings with Zaid and Basit. As per sources, he arranged curated marijuana or buds for his "friends".
Sources further added that Showik and Samuel Miranda will be questioned about Sohail who allegedly arranged drugs for Basit. Currently, NCB is at magistrate court to seek Basit's custody. Once they get the custody, both Showik and Miranda will be confronted by him. Sources informed that Showik's and Miranda's statement will be recorded under section 67 of the NDPS Act.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday released an official statement on investigations in the Sushant Singh Rajput death and related drug cases. In its statement, the NCB said that it received official communication from Enforcement Directorate (ED) in which there were various chats related to 'drugs consumption, procurement, usage and transportation'.
In separate incidents, on the intervening night of August 27, based on specific inputs, raids were conducted at Mumbai and two persons, namely Abbas Lakhani and Karan Arora, were arrested and bud (curated marijuana) was seized, the statement said. The agency revealed that it has uncovered the linkages of Abbas Lakhani with an individual named Zaid Vilatra - who has now been apprehended. During the search, Indian currency (Rs 9,55,750/-) and foreign currency (US $ 2081, 180 British Pounds, 15 Dirham) were recovered, which Zaid disclosed were proceeds of drug peddling, the statement added.
Furthermore, the NCB statement revealed that Zaid runs an eatery shop at Bandra, which was not giving any pecuniary gains since lockdown and that he is into the drug peddling, especially bud, through which he used to earn a substantial amount of money. Furthermore, NCB said that it interrogated a resident of Bandra named Basit Parihar and uncovered his linkages with the details of preliminary inquiry submitted by ED.
Rhea-Showik's Drug Nexus out
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday conducted raids at the residence of Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik, in connection with the drug trafficking probe linked to the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death. The NCB has arrested two people in this probe till now - Abdul Basit Parihar and Zaid Vilatra, both of them allegedly supplied drugs to Showik.
Top sources have told Republic Media Network that Showik met Basit Parihar at a football club in Bandra and they soon became friends. Basit introduced him to Kaizan Ibraham, who is also been apprehended by the NCB for questioning. Ibraham works as a PR executive in a restaurant, sources said.
According to sources, Basit regularly visited the Chakrabortys and their friendship evolved over a period of time. Abdul Basit was in touch with a prominent drug peddler named Sohail and sources said that he was the one who provided buds. Showik took Basit to parties and established his contacts whereas Kaizan supplied drugs to friends through Showik contacts.
Sources also said that they tried to sell buds at the football club where youngsters would come to play. They said that Showik, Basit, Zaid, Kaizan, Karan and Abbas were dealing with curated marijuana or bud. They had purchased buds and sold it off at a profit margin of five times. A local weed has 7 to ten per cent THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) but buds have 28 to 35 THC which makes it very potent and lethal, sources said.
The NCB is trying to locate Sohail, they said. The NCB is focusing on the criminal conspiracy angle in this case and Showik & Rhea both are being examined by the federal anti-narcotics agency.
NCB raids Rhea's and Samuel Miranda's house
In a massive development on Friday, the NCB raided Rhea Chakraborty's residence who is the prime accused in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case. The NCB team reached Rhea’s residence on early Friday morning and began searching the house for any further evidence that may confirm that the accused was dealing in narcotics. Shortly after, NCB also raided Samuel Miranda's residence, and sources informed that Rhea's laptop hard drive have been seized.
Republic TV on Thursday, accessed a WhatsApp chat between Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik from 15th March 2020, where the siblings are seeing discussing 'buds' (marijuana). In a private WhatsApp group — including Rhea, Showik, Samuel Miranda, Dipesh Sawant — the conversation indicates revolving around drug procurement.
Updated 12:30 IST, September 4th 2020