Kshitij Prasad was arrested on Saturday by the Narcotics Bureau (File)
Bombay:
The Narcotics Control Bureau has strongly denied media reports that Kshitij Prasad, a film executive arrested last week in connection with a drug investigation linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, was allegedly “Harassed (or) sung” or subjected to “physical ill-treatment” by its officers.
In a statement released on Monday evening, the anti-drug agency said the allegations that it had humiliated Mr Prasad – who told a Mumbai court yesterday that he had “traumatized” by his interrogation and “coerced him into ‘falsely implicating’ filmmaker Karan Johar – was ‘mischievous and completely false’.
“It is unambiguously stated here that the above information in circulation is mischievous and utterly false. (Officers) from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Mumbai Zone Unit, arrested Kshitij R Prasad amid incriminating evidence had been recovered … he was placed under arrest after following due process, ”said the NCB statement.
BCN said Mr Prasad was allowed to meet with his wife and stepfather. The agency also said the Mumbai court which granted him custody of Mr. Prasad made no observations about the physical abuse.
“The observation of the court is …” According to the presentation of the accused, no physical ill-treatment was inflicted on him during his detention with the authority of the NCB “, indicates the press release of the NCB.
Yesterday, Kshitij Prasad’s lawyer, Satish Maneshinde, told the court that CBN agents had promised to let his client go if he involved Karan Johar or a few others they had named. Mr Prasad, his lawyer said, initially refused to comply because he “did not wish to falsely implicate anyone”.
“Sameer Wankhede (one of the officers named by Mr. Prasad in his complaint) told him that since he did not want to cooperate he would teach him a lesson … had him sit on the floor … then put on the shoe. of his foot near Kshitij’s face and proclaimed that it was his real aukat (status), ”the lawyer told the court, adding that other officers around“ didn’t care about this fate ”.
The incident “severely traumatized” Mr. Prasad, his lawyer said and, after nearly 50 hours of treatment, his client “signed the statement reluctantly and under threats.”
Mr Prasad was arrested on Saturday after his name was revealed during questioning of suspected drug traffickers. An NCB team searched his house but “found nothing … except an old, dry cigarette butt” and “began to insist that it was a ganja joint,” said his lawyer.
Karan Johar last week denied allegations that Mr. Prasad was associated with his company – Dharma Productions.
