Actor Srikanth, who works in Tamil and Telugu cinema, is in police custody after testing positive for drug use. The arrest also comes in response to evidence found on his mobile phone suggesting suspicious financial dealings.
On Monday, the Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit (ANIU) questioned Srikanth. He reportedly admitted to purchasing cocaine around 40 times, at a cost of Rs 12,000 per gram. Investigators discovered that he had spent a total of Rs 4.72 lakh on the drugs via Google Pay.
Further confirmation came from a blood test at a government hospital, which detected narcotics. He was subsequently arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The investigation began with the arrest of Prasad, an ex-AIADMK IT wing member, following a pub altercation in Nungambakkam. Prasad implicated Srikanth during questioning. Another person, Pradeep, also provided a statement that he had witnessed Srikanth consuming drugs at several parties, indicating Prasad as the supplier.
Srikanth, born in Chennai, spent his childhood in Hyderabad. His acting career includes roles in films like ‘Roja Kootam’, ‘Okariki Okaru’, and ‘Nanban’, alongside more recent projects.