Continuing its investigations into the Bollywood-drug mafia nexus case, the Narcotics Control Bureau on Thursday arrested a celebrity hair-stylist and a drug peddler along with 16 packets of cocaine.
Identifying the arrested persons as hairstylist Suraj Godambe and the drug peddler Lalchandra Yadav, NCB’s Zonal Director said that while Yadav – an autorickshaw driver – was the supplier, Godambe a popular makeup artist and hair stylist and has worked for some leading production houses – was the receiver.
After a raid near “Meera Tower” at posh Oshiwara area Andheri in north-west Mumbai, the NCB sleuths seized 16 pockets of cocaine (gross weight 17.6 grams) and drug proceeds amounting to Rs 56,000 and arrested Godambe and Yadav in connection with the seizure.
“The duo was caught near Meera Tower in Oshiwara, Andheri (west) and succeeded in affecting the seizure of 16 packets of cocaine (gross weight 17.6 grams), along with auto-rickshaw and drug proceeds amounting Rs 56,000. Later, on opening the cocaine packets, the net weight of cocaine in all 16 packets was found to be 11 grams,” an NCB release said.
Both Godambe and Yadav were produced subsequently before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, which remanded them in NCB custody till December 16.
The preliminary investigations have revealed that Yadav used to supply cocaine on behalf of a Nigerian syndicate.
The arrests and seizure come on the heels of seizure of Malana Cream Hash worth around Rs. 2.50 crore and the arrest of the supplier Jinendra Jain alias Rigel Mahakal in the early hours of Wednesday.
While the arrest of Mahakal and seizure of Malana Cream Hash from him and another drug supplier had come after the revelation made during the custodial interrogation no Anuj Keshwani, one of the accused in the Sushant Singh Rajput death-related drug case, the latest arrest has been made in the Bollywood-drug mafia case.
Informed NCB sources said that the agency had for the four months been keeping a close watch on the drug peddling that goes in the western suburbs of Bandra, Khar Juhu, Santacruz and Andheri where most prominent people from Bollywood and entertainment industry live.
Godambe has been associated with many celebrities in Bollywood and television industry. Cocaine is believed to be most sought after drug among the celebrities. The drug peddlers have had a roaring business during the lockdown period when most celebrities have confined themselves to homes.
The NCB has registered two drugs cases in the wake of the investigations launched by the CBI into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June this year upon the directive issued by the Supreme Court. While the first drug case relates to the actor’s death, the case is the Bollywood-drug mafia nexus case.
Sushant, it may be recalled, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his closed room of his duplex flat at Mont Blanc building at Bandra’s Carter Road in north-west Mumbai on June 14.
More than 25 persons –including Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik --- have been arrested and a large number of persons have been questioned in connection with a case registered by the NCB on August 28, two days after it registered a case suo moto. Subsequently, Rhea was granted conditional bail by the Bombay High Court in the Sushant death-related drug case on October 7, 2020.
As part of the investigations into the second case, the NCB had earlier questioned Bollywood’s prominent actresses Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh.
In connection with the second case – described as a Bollywood-drug mafia nexus case, the NCB arrested Bharti Singh, her husband Harsh Limbachiyaa and film producer Firoz A. Nadiadwala’s wife Shabana Saeed last month. Last month, the NCB also raided the residence of Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal, questioned him and his live-in partner Gabriella Demetriades and arrested his Australian-architect friend Paul Bartel.