Latest news with #T.Srikanth
The Hindu
08-07-2025
- The Hindu
Madras High Court grants bail to actors Srikanth and Krishna in drug case
The Madras High Court on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) granted bail to Tamil film actors T. Srikanth, 45, and Krishna alias K. Krishnakumar, 47, in a case registered against them by the Greater Chennai City Police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985. Justice M. Nirmal Kumar granted the bail after taking into consideration that the two actors had been arrested only on the charge of procuring cocaine for personal consumption, and no amount of contraband had been seized by the police from either of them. The judge ordered the release of the actors on the condition that they execute a bond for ₹10,000 along with two sureties to the satisfaction of a special court for NDPS Act cases. They were also directed to appear before the investigating officer (IO) daily for a period of two weeks. Thereafter, they must appear before the IO as and when required and not cause any threat either to the complainant or other witnesses in the case, the judge said. He also directed the petitioners to undertake that they would cooperate with the officials for a test identification parade, if necessary. Further, warning that the bail would be cancelled if the petitioners fail to comply with any of the conditions, the judge said, a fresh First Information Report (FIR) would also be registered against them if they abscond by misusing the liberty granted to them by way of grant of bail. What is the case all about? According to the prosecution, Sub-Inspector Arulmani, attached to the Anti Narcotics Intelligence Unit (AINU), under the Triplicane Assistant Commissioner of Police, had received source-based information on June 17 that a person was in possession of cocaine near the Regional Meteorological Centre bus stop at Nungambakkam in Chennai. Since the location fell within the Nungambakkam police station limits, the Sub-Inspector shared the information with the jurisdictional Inspector (Law and Order) and obtained permission to conduct a raid by the AINU team at the bus stop, where they caught hold of the first suspect, Prado alias G. Pradeep Kumar. The AINU team reportedly informed the suspect of his right to be searched either before a judicial magistrate or top government officials. However, on his insistence that he could be searched by the Sub-Inspector himself, the team attempted to persuade a few passersby to be a witness to the search, but in vain. Hence, the Sub-Inspector conducted the search, with two of the constables in his team as witnesses, and reportedly recovered one gram of cocaine. Immediately, the suspect was arrested. He also reportedly confessed to have obtained the contraband from Nigeria through a Ghana national named M. John. On June 18, the AINU team arrested John at Hosur (Krishnagiri district) bus stand and reportedly recovered 10 grams of cocaine from him. Thereafter, the Sub-Inspector submitted a report before the Nungambakkam police leading to the registration of an FIR against both of them. Further investigation in the case led to the arrest of the two actors on charges of allegedly procuring the contraband for personal consumption. The prosecution claimed that a urine test conducted with respect to Mr. Srikanth on June 23 had shown traces of the contraband.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- The Hindu
Bail plea of actors Srikanth, Krishna in drug case: Madras High Court to pass orders on July 8
The Madras High Court, on Monday (July 7, 2025), reserved its orders on individual bail petitions filed by Tamil film actors T. Srikanth (45) and Krishna alias K. Krishnakumar (47) in a case booked against them by the Greater Chennai City Police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985. Justice M. Nirmal Kumar heard the arguments advanced by senior counsel R. John Sathyan and advocate L. Infant Dinesh on behalf of the two actors and decided to pronounce orders on Tuesday (July 8). The counsel contended their clients were innocent and had nothing to do with the narcotics case. According to the prosecution, Sub Inspector Arulmani attached to the Anti Narcotics Intelligence Unit (AINU) under the Triplicane Assistant Commissioner of Police, had received a source information on June 17 regarding a person in possession of cocaine near the Regional Meteorological Centre bus stop at Nungambakkam in Chennai. Since the location fell within the Nungambakkam police station limits, the Sub Inspector shared the information with the jurisdictional Inspector (Law and Order) and obtained permission to conduct a raid by the AINU team at the bus stop where they caught hold of the first suspect Prado alias G. Pradeep Kumar. The AINU team reportedly informed the suspect of his right to be searched either before a judicial magistrate or top government officials. However, on his insistence that he could be searched by the Sub Inspector himself, the team attempted to persuade a few passers by to be a witness to the search but in vain. Hence, the Sub Inspector conducted the search with two of the constables in his team as the witnesses and reportedly recovered one gram of cocaine. Immediately, the suspect was arrested. He also reportedly confessed to be have obtained the contraband from Nigeria through a Ghana national named M. John. On June 18, the AINU team arrested John at Hosur (Krishnagiri district) bus stand and reportedly recovered 10 grams of cocaine from him. Thereafter, the Sub Inspector lodged a complaint with the Nungambakkam police leading to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against both of them. Further investigation in the case led to the arrest of the two actors before the court on charges of allegedly procuring the contraband for personal consumption. The prosecution claimed a urine test conducted with respect to Mr. Srikanth on June 23 had shown traces of the contraband. However, the actor in his bail petition, said, the urine test was conducted four hours after his arrest and in the meantime, the police had given him food, water, coffee and snacks. After consuming them, the actor said he started vomiting non-stop and fainted leading to his treatment at a government hospital. Actors' contention 'The police took the petitioner to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai and treated him briefly by administering some medicines. Hence, there is a real apprehension that any substance could have been administered to him to falsely implicate him in the case,' his petition read. He also alleged the police had roped him in the case only to sensationalise the entire issue though no contraband was seized from him. On his part, actor Krishna too contended no contraband was seized from him and he had been implicated in the case only on the basis of the alleged confession by the two suspects arrested initially.
