Popular Tamil and Telugu film actor Srikanth has been remanded to judicial custody till July 7th by a Chennai court in connection with a cocaine-related case.
The actor was interrogated for several hours at the Nungambakkam police station before being formally arrested. According to police sources, Srikanth is alleged to have purchased and used cocaine and maintained contacts with known drug suppliers. His blood samples were sent for medical examination, and reports reportedly confirmed drug usage.
The case emerged from a broader crackdown on a drug network that was unearthed following a recent pub brawl involving a former AIADMK member, whose arrest led investigators to a series of other suspects - culminating in Srikanth's arrest.
Srikanth, a familiar face in South Indian cinema, debuted in 2002 with Roja Kootam and has acted in nearly 70 films, including notable roles in Nanban, director Shankar's Tamil remake of the Bollywood hit Three Idiots.
There has been no official comment yet from Srikanth's legal team.
His arrest comes amid an uptick in drug seizures and narcotics-related investigations in Tamil Nadu. The issue in the recent past had triggered sharp political reactions, with opposition parties AIADMK and BJP targeting the ruling DMK, alleging a breakdown in law and order. The DMK has strongly denied the allegations, defending the police action as evidence of proactive enforcement.
The Tamil Nadu Police, for their part, maintain that the prevalence of drug use in the state is among the lowest in the country even according to NCRB data, and that stringent action is being taken against both peddlers and users.
In a recent exclusive interview to NDTV, Director General of Police Mr Shankar Jiwal stated that while Tamil Nadu does not produce narcotics, it has become a transit hub for international drug trafficking, particularly for shipments destined to Sri Lanka and other countries.
