Actor Srikanth to file bail plea after arrest in drug case

Popular South Indian actor Srikanth, known for his work in over 50 films across Tamil and Telugu cinema, was arrested on Monday, June 23, by the Greater Chennai Police in a drug-related case. The arrest followed the detention of T. Prasad, a member of the AIADMK’s IT wing, who allegedly supplied narcotics to the actor. Police officials have confirmed that Srikanth will soon file a bail plea.

The investigation, led by the Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit (ANIU) of the Chennai Police, uncovered evidence linking Srikanth to a drug network during questioning. The police claim that medical tests conducted at the Kilpauk Government Hospital confirmed the actor’s consumption of narcotics, leading to his arrest under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He was subsequently presented before a magistrate at the latter’s residence and remanded to judicial custody until July 7.

Authorities are also probing whether Srikanth purchased one gram of cocaine for Rs 12,000, as reported by News18 Tamil. The scope of the investigation has expanded to determine if other actors from the South Indian film industry were involved in purchasing or using drugs supplied by Prasad.

Srikanth, whose full name is Krishnamachari Srikanth, was born on February 28, 1979, in Chennai to a Tamil mother and a Telugu father. He spent part of his childhood in Hyderabad before beginning his entertainment career. Srikanth made his acting debut in the 1999 Tamil television serial Jannal – Marabu Kavithaigal, directed by the legendary K. Balachander.