Inquiry on into allegations levelled by drug peddlers against police officers in special team

The Hindu

23-07-2025

An Inspector of police and two sub-inspectors who were part of a special team investigating a cocaine case have been shifted and posted in vacancy reserve category. The action followed the statement of a key peddler Pradeep alias Prado and his associate, during custodial interrogation, in which he alleged that the trio had collected up to ₹50 lakh from actresses for not booking cases against them.
Police investigation began after two groups clashed at a bar in Nungambakkam last month. Eight persons, including an AIADMK functionary Prasad, were arrested in two cases. Investigation revealed that Prasad was involved in offences, including attempt to murder, job fraud and extortion.
Meanwhile, the police unearthed the links between Prasad and a drug cartel, comprising Prado alias Pradeep and his associates, including John, a Ghana national who was operating from Bengaluru. Police said that he had been getting the cocaine from them for the last three years and selling it to his friends, including actor Srikanth. Details of money transactions and electronic evidence have been gathered.
Subsequent to the arrest of actor Srikanth, another actor Krishna, and his associate Jeswir alias Kevin, from Virugambakkam were arrested. Altogether, over 28 persons had been arrested by the Nungambakkam police in about 10 cases for peddling cocaine. Police took the custody of Pradeep alias Prado and another associate Sara Khumma, a Nigerian national, arrested by the Choolaimedu police and a special team interrogated them.
Sources said the duo — Pradeep and Sara — had revealed a drug network and recipients of drugs, including women actors. During interrogation, the accused alleged that a couple of officers in the special team collected the details of actors and had contacted those actors for enquiry. The accused alleged that the officers had struck a deal with the actors and received up to ₹50 lakh for not booking any case or arresting them.
Following the statement of the accused, senior police officers conducted an enquiry with the three officers as to why they had not probed the involvement of the actors allegedly mentioned by the accused during interrogation.
A senior police officer said, 'It was an allegation by the accused. As of now, three officers — an inspector and two sub-inspectors — had been removed from the special team and posted in the vacancy reserve category. Further action will follow after enquiry. Meanwhile, the Vepery police arrested Saurav Chouhan, 38, for allegedly being involved in drug peddling. Police sources said that he received cocaine from a Nigerian national and supplied it to his contacts. On conducting a search at his apartment, the police seized seven grams of cocaine from him.