Drug Case : Why Arjun Rampal was a suspect for NCB, reveals chargesheet

Arjun Rampal

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which recently filed a more than 50,000-page charge sheet in connection with the Bollywood drugs case that stemmed out of Sushant Singh Rajput's death case. The chargesheet contains detailed statement of Actor Arjun Rampal which reveals why his house was raided and he was than a suspect for the anti drug agency.The charge sheet also names Rampal's brother-in-law Agisilaos Demetriades, arrested in two drug-related cases, as an accused and suspects that he ran the racket in Rampal's name. The charge sheet was filed against 33 people including Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty and Sushant's house manager Samuel Miranda and Sushant's house help Deepesh Sawant.

Reporters outside Rampal's residence in Bandra during the NCB raid on November 9, 2020. File pic

Rampal's house had been raided by NCB's zonal director Sameer Wankhede and his team on November 9, 2020. As per the charge sheet, during the search, the agency seized 14 tablets of Clonazepam Dispersible Tablet Clonotril and four tablets of Ultracet Tramadol Hydrochloride and Acetaminophen. The anti-drug agency also seized two mobile handsets of iPhone 11 Pro Max and a MacBook Pro belonging to Rampal and two iPhone 10s and a MacBook Air belonging to his partner, Gabriella Demetriades.

Rampal had recorded his first voluntary statement on November 13, 2020, under Section 67 of the NDPS Act. In his eight-page statement, he had spoken about his educational qualifications, personal details and journey in modelling and films, his financial status and his personal life which includes partner Gabriella Demetriades, how they met in 2014 and started living together in 2018 and had a baby the following year.

With regards to the tablet, Rampal said, "Ultracet (tramadol) was prescribed to my dog Brando, by Happy Tails veterinary clinic for pain for post-operative management. The other medicines, Clonazepam was my sister Komal Rampal's medication for which a subscription has been provided. Today I have provided the prescription of Ultracet issued by Dr. Umesh Karkare of Happy Tails." The Clonazepam was prescribed on September 5, 2019, by Dr Rohit Garg from New Delhi. "My sister spends a lot of time and days with me at my residence in Capri Heights," he said in his statement.

Arjun Rampal with his partner, Gabriella Demetriades. File pic

Questions over chats

Rampal was also questioned regarding Demetriades, who was arrested in two NCB cases, including the one related to Sushant's death. The agency had information that Demetriades supplies drugs in the industry using Rampal's name. NCB also suspected Rampal to be part of the syndicate.

"I met Agisilaos around one and a half years ago. I am acquainted with him but not personally. I have met him around 15 to 16 times in our entire acquaintance. I met him on his birthday on October 12 and he visited my residence for my son's birthday on July 18, 2020," Rampal said in the statement.

NCB officers showed him WhatsApp chats of Agisilaos with someone named Stuart and asked him to explain the chats. "I would like to emphasise that I have no knowledge of Stuart...I have no knowledge of the things described and discussed," Rampal said.

Officers then showed Rampal another set of chats between Agisilaos and Stuart, where Agisilaos used the name Arjun and called him a friend and boss. "I would like to explain that the friend and boss isn't me but as per my understanding the person Agi was working for was Arjun D," Rampal said.

He was then asked about a WhatsApp group chat where someone with an international number has asked "How about meth". In response, Arjun said in his statement, "I have responded to that message with a question mark and ‘whats meth?'."

Rampal was then shown another chat between Agisilaos and himself where Agisilaos asked if he wants anything to which Rampal responded "All good bro". Agisilaos then asked "Hash". "To this I did not respond. I did not want to talk to him and hence ignored him. There was no conversation after that," Rampal said in the statement. Rampal also said he is unaware if Agisilaos uses his name to supply contraband.

Prescriptions verified

The NCB had verified the prescriptions provided by Rampal and while the one from the veterinary clinic was genuine, but the one of Clonazepam was backdated and had been procured after the November 9 raid. The NCB recorded the statement of Dr Garg, who said "I didn't have any record of Komal Rampal being treated for anxiety in my clinic at Chittranjan Park, New Delhi. A consultation for Komal over the phone was done on 10/11/2020. However, the date of issue of medical prescription was written as 05.09.2020 by mistake and the same prescription was physically collected by Komal Rampal's friend Arti." He also stated that he was unaware of the NCB case and the raid.

NCB again summoned Rampal on December 21 where he was given a set of 11 questions about the Clonazepam tablet and about his sister's anxiety. He was asked to provide an invoice for the tablets, to which he said that since the prescription is in Komal's name, further questions should be directed towards her. The agency has recorded the statement of Komal as well but they haven't reached a conclusion yet. "The investigation is open against known and unknown people," said Wankhede.

During the course of the investigation, the NCB has also written to the Consulate General of Republic of South Africa in December 2020 saying that Rampal a suspect trying to flee the country and that he is likely to leave for South Africa. NCB also told the Consulate about Agisiliaos, who is a South African national already arrested in the case. Despite several attempts, mid-day was unable to reach Rampal for his comments.

The chargesheet has also named some people including few drug peddlers against whom the investigation is continuing in Sushant Singh Rajput drug case.

21
Day in Dec 2020 that Rampal was last questioned

Nov 9
Day in 2020 Rampal's residence was raided

Nov 13
Day in 2020 Rampal was first questioned