New Delhi: Bollywood actors Shraddha Kapoor, Siddhant Kapoor, Nora Fatehi, politician Zeeshan Siddique and influencer Orry can breathe a sigh of relief. While the investigation initially sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, as these celebs name came up during the interrogation of key accused Mohammad Salim Mohammad Suhail Shaikh who is better known as ‘Lavish’, but now after the investigation the officials have confirmed there is no actual evidence linking them to the crime.
The Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) is finally gearing up to submit a formal chargesheet next week in the high-profile 2022 drug manufacturing case with a source saying, “An initial chargesheet was filed against three persons and a supplementary chargesheet will now be filed against two arrested accused and other wanted accused. We do not have enough evidence to link the celebrities to the case so far.”
Lavish is a known associate of fugitive drug lord Salim Dola and was deported from the UAE to face the charges. He allegedly acted as a bridge for an international narcotics ring with deep ties to the Dawood Ibrahim gang.
During his time in custody, he dropped several names from the Page 3 circuit, claiming they attended his lavish parties across Dubai, Mumbai, and Goa. However, the police are treating these claims with caution and a senior officer noted that an accused’s statement isn’t worth much in court unless backed by hard, independent proof which, in this case, is non-existent for most of the celebrities mentioned.
Behind the scenes of multi-crore operation
The investigation itself reads like a crime thriller, as it started back in August 2022 with a relatively small bust in Mumbai. That single arrest acted as a thread that when pulled down revealed a massive network. The ANC hit a jackpot in March 2024 by busting a secret mephedrone factory in Sangli with a scale staggering with drugs and assets worth over Rs 250 crore seized on the spot.
Investigators found that the syndicate was highly sophisticated and they were sourcing raw chemicals from Gujarat’s industrial zones, cooking drugs in the rural interiors of Maharashtra and then using luxury cars to ferry the stash into cities to avoid drawing attention from highway patrols.
While seeking further custody of Lavish last year on November 13, the remand report that was produced before the court said, “Further investigation into the said accused No. 05 (Lavish) has revealed that he is organising drug parties in the country and abroad and supplying drugs to those parties. The said accused has previously organised drug parties in the country and abroad with …Shraddha Kapoor, Siddhanth Kapoor, Zeeshan Siddique Ori alias Orhan.… and many other people and has himself participated in them and supplied drugs to these and other people.”
Questions remain for some
While Shraddha and Nora seem to have got a clean chit, the chargesheet is expected to mention Siddhanth Kapoor and social media personality Orhan Awatramani, aka Orry. Both were questioned by the ANC last year, and their roles or lack thereof, will likely be clarified in the upcoming legal documents.
Meanwhile, others named by Lavish have come forward to deny any association. Former legislator Zeeshan Siddique expressed his shock at being dragged into the mess, stating that such parties aren’t even part of his lifestyle and urged for better verification before names are leaked to the press. For now, the ANC’s focus remains on the “financial routes” and the hawala channels used to funnel drug money back to handlers in Dubai.