An accused in the ₹1,000 crore heroin case, who was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Delhi on August 9, was found dead at a quarantine centre designated for the inmates of Taloja jail on Wednesday night.

The accused, Mohammed Nauman Suleman (43), along with two accomplices were arrested in connection with 192 kg of heroin seized from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust at Nhava Sheva. After the DRI took the accused into custody, a court in Panvel remanded them in judicial custody on Wednesday.

“As per the protocol, the trio was shifted to Gokhale High School in Kharghar, which is the designated quarantine centre for the inmates of Taloja jail. The accused is suspected to have ended his life in the washroom,” said police inspector Mahesh Patil from the Kharghar police station.

The police said officers escorted Suleman to the washroom around 11.30 p.m. and they broke open the door when he did not come out for a while.

The officers found him unconscious in the washroom. A doctor was called in when they noticed some movement in his body. “Despite medical help, his life could not be saved,” said an official at Taloja jail.

Later, one of his accomplices took an overdose of pills. He was immediately taken to hospital and rescued.

“We have not recorded his statement yet. None of the two had written any note. The third accomplice also seems depressed and we would be speaking to him,” a police officer from Kharghar police station said.

The officer said Suleman had attempted to kill himself while he was in the custody of the DRI. “The stitches on his wrist were still fresh when he was found dead,” the officer added.

As the accused died in judicial custody, the judicial magistrate will order an inquiry as per the provisions of Section 176 (1A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.