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Drug peddling: Celebrity, DJ, industrialist taken into custody in Karnataka

• By IANS, Bengaluru
• Aug 30, 2021
• 205

Karnataka Police have arrested three persons, including a female celebrity in connection with a drug peddling case in Bengaluru after conducting simultaneous raids on their residences on Monday.

According to the police, celebrity turned actress, Cosmetic industrialist Sonia Agarwal, industrialist Bharath and DJ Vachan Chinnappa are the arrested persons. Bengaluru East police have taken them into custody and were questioning them.

The raids were conducted based on the tip-off from the arrested drug peddler Thomas.

Thomas, an African national was arrested on August 12 and police have seized lakhs of Rupees worth synthetic drugs from him in Govindapura.

Thomas had told the police about the roles of Sonial Agarwal, Bharath and Vachan Chinnappa. The accused are alleged to be procuring drugs and distributing it to celebrities, film actors, and elite people in Bengaluru. The accused were also said to have organized rave parties at their residences, police sources added.

Special police teams conducted simultaneous raids on the residences of the accused in Rajajinagar, Benson Town and Padmanabhanagar, Banashankari 2 Stage. The raids were conducted early in the morning.

Accused Bharath and Vahan Chinnappa were taken into custody from their residences. The police also inquired about Bharath in the neighbourhood. The neighbours have told police about late night parties being organised at Bharath's place and police also found out that the neighbours had objected and raised questions with Bharath in this connection.

Sonia Agarwal has been picked up from a private luxury hotel by the police as she was not found at her residence. The police sources said that they have seized ganja from the accused persons' residences. Police suspect them to be part of a drug cartel and are investigating the case.