CHENNAI: The Nungambakkam police have arrested one more person for his links to cocaine peddlers, who had supplied to Kollywood actors, Srikanth and Krishna, who are behind bars now.
The arrested person was identified as Bayas Shamate (31) of Royapettah. He was apprehended by the Nungambakkam police and the ANIU (anti-narcotics intelligence unit) based on a tip-off.
Police said that Shamate was absconding after his accomplices were picked up by the police. During their investigation and subsequent arrests in a pub brawl in Nungambakkam a month ago, the case revealed a criminal network with tentacles in the drug trade, job racket, land grab, and other criminal activities.
Police said that expelled IT functionary from the AIADMK, T Prasad, who was the main accused in the pub brawl case, had supplied actor Srikanth with cocaine. Prasad was also identified as the middleman who procured cocaine from peddlers, Pradeep (38) and Ghana-native John and sold it to his contacts, like Srikanth, in Chennai.
Subsequently, actor Krishna was arrested too and two other persons – Jasveer Kevin and Prashanth – were arrested in the last week of June. Bayas who was arrested on Friday was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.