Jaffar Sadiq, a prominent figure in the Tamil film industry and a former member of the DMK, found himself entangled in legal troubles as he was apprehended by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday in connection with an extensive drug trafficking case, as revealed by sources to India Today TV. During interrogation, Sadiq purportedly disclosed to the authorities that he had disbursed an amount totaling Rs 7 lakh to Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Sadiq's assertions reportedly detailed that Rs 5 lakh of the sum was extended to Udhayanidhi Stalin as assistance during last year's floods, with the remaining Rs 2 lakh allocated as contributions to the party's finances.
In a potentially significant turn of events, sources indicated that the son of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, might be summoned for questioning in the ongoing investigation.
The NCB's inquiries are delving into the origins of the funds transferred by Jaffar Sadiq to Udhayanidhi Stalin, seeking to ascertain whether they constitute proceeds from the alleged drug trafficking activities he was implicated in.
Gyaneshwar Singh, the NCB's deputy director general (operations), revealed plans to enlist the assistance of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe potential money laundering facets within the context of the expansive drug trafficking case. Singh also affirmed ongoing collaborations with various other agencies to expedite the investigative process.
Jaffar Sadiq's affiliation with the DMK recently came under scrutiny after he was expelled from the party following revelations linking him to the narcotics network, according to a report from the PTI news agency. Sadiq purportedly held a position as the deputy organizer of the DMK's NRI wing in Chennai, as divulged by Gyaneshwar Singh.
The circumstances surrounding the case reveal a sequence of evasive maneuvers undertaken by the film producer following NCB's raids in Delhi back in February. Sadiq reportedly embarked on a journey spanning multiple cities, including Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur, before eventually being apprehended.
Allegations put forth by the NCB assert that Sadiq amassed substantial profits from illicit drug trade endeavors, subsequently channeling these funds into legitimate ventures across various sectors such as film production, construction, and hospitality. Notably, the agency contends that Sadiq utilized funds derived from the illegal narcotics trade to finance the production of a Tamil film titled 'Mangai.'
In the wake of these developments, the NCB is poised to summon several stakeholders from the Bollywood film financing sphere for interrogation soon, as per insider sources.
Previously, three individuals were detained by the NCB and the Delhi Police's Special Cell in Delhi in connection with the case, with authorities seizing a significant quantity of pseudoephedrine weighing 50 kg from their possession.
The NCB's ongoing investigations suggest that Sadiq may have overseen a drug syndicate responsible for dispatching 45 consignments over the past three years to various destinations, containing an estimated 3,500 kg of pseudoephedrine.
