The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday arrested Sushant Singh Rajput's flatmate Siddharth Pithani, nearly a year after the late actor's death in Mumbai. Pithani was one among the four people who were present at the Bollywood actor's house in Mumbai where he was found hanging in his room on June 14. The anti-drugs agency arrested him in Hyderabad and took him to Mumbai, where he was ordered by a court to be sent to judicial custody till June 1.
An IT professional, Mr. Pithani had not responded and skipped the several court summons that were addressed to him after which a police team had gone to his Hyderabad home where they recovered documents and electronic evidence in the case that is being investigated by multiple intelligence agencies. Reports say the Mumbai police and the CBI had interrogated him on several occasions in connection with Sushant's death, which sent the nation into a state of shock, while also triggering a number of conspiracy theories.
So far, 34 people have been charged in the drugs case and that also includes Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik after a probe into the actor's death. The NCB became a part of the investigation after WhatsApp chats allegedly found on Rhea's phone revealed texts of the purchase of drugs for the late actor. Soon after, the case took a bigger turn with an inquiry into the connection of drugs and Bollywood stars among whom were several A-list actors.
Pithani, reportedly nicknamed "Buddha" by Sushant Singh Rajput, told news channels about the actor's last moments and that he was interrogated repeatedly over his statements. He had been living with the late Bollywood star for about a year before his demise. There was considerable media frenzy over his allegations in the weeks after Sushant's death and was also questioned in September last year for more than half a dozen times.