NCB busts reports of Kshitij Prasad's ill-treatment by officials, calls them 'mischievous'

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has issued a statement of clarification after reports of Executive Producer and Director Kshitij Ravi Prasad's alleged torment at the hands of the agency officials started doing the rounds. The central agency is currently probing into the drug nexus spread across the film industry and has apprehended Kshitij for his role in procuring and supplying illegal chemical intoxicants to influential people including top businessmen and Bollywood A-listers. According to NCB's statement, the Mumbai Zonal Unit placed Kshitij under arrest after recovering incriminating evidence from him during their probe.

The NCB has slammed the reports of manhandling Kshitij and claimed that it has been purportedly released by Senior Advocate Satish Maneshinde, who represents Kshitij as well as Rhea Chakraborty in separate NCB cases. The statement labelled the act of the circulation of such reports as "mischievous", "baseless" and "devoid of any truth".

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Kshitij Ravi Prasad's lawyer Satish Maneshinde told the court that his client was 'harassed and blackmailed' to give a statement. He was also subjected to third-degree and ill-treatment, the lawyer alleged. As per Prasad's note to the court, he "unwillingly signed the statement after nearly 50 hours of interrogation, humiliation and torment.''

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Here's the full statement:

"A news item has been circulating purportedly released by Sh. Satish Mansinde, Advocate for Mr. Kshitij Ravi Prasad who was arrested by Mumbai Zonal Unit of NCB on 26.09.2020 in case Crime No. 16/2020. The news item alleges humiliation and torment of Sh. Kshitij R Prasad at the hands of officers of Mumbai  Zonal Unit, Narcotics Control Bureau.

It is very unambiguously stated here that the above news item in circulation is mischievous and completely untrue. Narcotics Control Bureau, Mumbai Zonal Unit arrested Kshitij Ravi Prasad in NCB crime no. 16/2020 as some incriminating evidences were recovered from him. When the involvement of Mr. Kshitij in offences under the NDPS Act was revealed, he was placed under arrest after following due process of law. His lawyer and his family (mother) were informed as per procedure.  He was also allowed to meet his father in law and his wife at MZU office.

As Mr. Kshitij was not cooperating with the investigation, this fact was brought to the notice of the Hon’ble Court with a request to grant NCB custody on 27.09.2020 when he was produced for remand after medical check up. Hon’ble Court was kind enough to grant NCB custody upto 03.10.2020 after listening to arguments from both sides.

Hon’ble court has observed in its order dated 27.09.2020 that no physical ill treatment has been given to accused. The observation of court is reproduced below “From the submission of the accused it reveals that, no physical ill treatment given to him during the course of his custody with the NCB authority. Furthermore he has no complaint about the physical ill treatment”.

Narcotics Control Bureau reiterates that the allegations circulating in the news item are baseless and devoid of any truth."

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