WhatsApp chats between peddler and actor Armaan Kohli reveal drug purchase: NCB

Actor Armaan Kohli, who was arrested on Saturday, being taken to Killa court on Monday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Preliminary investigation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) following the arrests of drug peddler Ajay Raju Singh alias Mamu, 50, and actor Armaan Kohli, has revealed that Singh had links with the international drug syndicate and prostitution racket. The drug cops have also recovered some WhatsApp chats regarding purchase of drugs between the two. Some chats recovered from Singh's phone have revealed that he was in contact with people in Colombia and Peru, from where his supply used to come.

According to the NCB, Singh was in a courier business earlier but he later got involved in the drug racket. The Mumbai Anti Narcotics Cell had arrested Singh in 2009, when his name first surfaced in a drugs case. He has two NDPS and one cheating case against him.

Ajay Singh

On Saturday, the NCB arrested Singh from near Haji Ali and recovered 25 gms of MD drugs from him. The drugs that he sells in Mumbai, mainly MD and Cocaine, come from Colombia and Peru. The cops said that he had connections with Bollywood celebrities and were often seen in their parties as well. An NCB source told mid-day that after the drugs arrive in the city, they reach Singh through a supplier.

The NCB has recovered a WhatsApp chat regarding purchase of drugs between Kohli and Singh from the latter's mobile phone. On the basis of it, the cops raided Kohli's house and seized 1.2 gms of Cocaine. An NCB official told mid-day that they would check Kohli's bank transactions as well.

Also read: Drugs case: Court extends NCB custody of Armaan Kohli, another accused till Sept 1

On Monday, the NCB produced Singh and Kohli in court and requested to extend their remand. Following which further police custody was granted. The NCB told the court, "Singh is associated with the international drug syndicate and prostitution racket. His international links have come to the fore. NCB needs his custody to investigate the matter."

An NCB officer told mid-day, "Singh has been peddling drugs for the last two decades. We are checking how many properties he has. He owns two bungalows and lives in Juhu." Mumbai zonal director of NCB, Sameer Wankhede said, "We have found an international link from Singh's WhatsApp chats and it is being investigated. The court has given us Singh and Kohli's custody till September 1."