Cops search Vivek Oberoi’s flat for his brother-in-law in drugs case

BENGALURU: The central crime branch, probing an alleged drug peddling racket with links to the Kannada movie industry, on Thursday searched Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi’s flat in Mumbai for his brother-in-law Aditya Alva, an accused in the case. The operation drew a blank.
An FIR was registered against Alva and 11 others under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act at Cottonpet police station, Bengaluru, on September 4.
Joint commissioner of Bengaluru police (crime) Sandeep Patil said, “We suspected Alva had taken shelter at Oberoi’s residence in Andheri (West) or he may have been in touch with his family members. We searched the flat but Alva was not there. We questioned Alva’s family members, including his elder sister, Priyanka Alva Oberoi, who is married to Vivek Oberoi. We have issued a notice, asking her to appear before the central crime branch for questioning on Friday afternoon.”
Priyanka and Aditya are children of the late Karnataka minister Jeevaraj Alva.
On September 14, police had raided Alva’s four-acre farmhouse near Hebbal in Bengaluru, where only his housekeeping staff and a manager were found to be present. Police seized certain electronic gadgets there.
The police team reached the Oberoi residence at 11.30am on Thursday. “The family took a long time before letting in the team led by two CCB inspectors and assisted by Mumbai police.The police launched a search that ended by afternoon. They requested Priyanka to hand over her mobile phone. She refused saying the warrant does not specify handing over phones or laptops or other electronic devices,” an officer, who was part of the team, told TOI.
Alva’s name surfaced when police arrested RTO staffer B K Ravi Shankar in the case. CCB police said Ravi Shankar, in his statement, alleged parties were held at Alva’s farmhouse where drugs were supplied to revellers. Bengaluru police have so far arrested 16 people.
Alva and three others are yet to be found. Shivaprakash and Kumar had applied for pre-arrest bail but their pleas were rejected.