As per the statement of an official, the 'Narcotics Control Bureau' (NCB) arrested Siddharth Pithani, a flatmate of Sushant Singh Rajput, in a drug case linked to the Bollywood actor's death in 2020.
Pithani was arrested from Hyderabad and produced in a special court in Mumbai which sent him in the NCB custody till June 1.
Pithani was Rajput's friend and was staying with him at the latter's apartment in suburban Bandra.
According to his statement to Mumbai Police, Pithani was among the first to see the actor's hanging body when Rajput allegedly committed suicide on June 14, 2020.
The NCB began a separate probe when some 'WhatsApp' chats of the late actor indicated drug use.
"As Pithani's alleged role in drug procurement came to light, notices under the 'Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act' (NDPS) were issued to him earlier, asking him to join the investigation, but he did not respond," said the NCB official.
The official added, "A team led by the NCB's Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede had launched a manhunt for Pithani who was tracked down to Hyderabad. A team of Mumbai NCB apprehended him in the Telangana capital on May 26."
He was arrested under the 'NDPS Act' and produced before a local court, which granted the NCB his `transit remand', allowing the agency to take him to Mumbai.
"Pithani was produced before a chief metropolitan magistrate in Mumbai on May 28 who remanded him in the NCB custody till June 1 as requested," stated special public prosecutor Advait Sethna.
While seeking his custody, Sethna told the court that Pithani had admitted to his involvement in the crime.
The NCB's remand application said that others, who were arrested after being accused, had also disclosed Pithani's 'involvement in the procurement of contraband (ganja/weed/joint/charas)'.
Besides Rajput, Pithani was in direct contact with Samuel Miranda, Deepesh Sawant and Showik and Rhea Chakraborty, therefore further probe into his 'role and nexus' with other accused was needed.