New Delhi: Prabhakar Sail, an independent witness for the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the Aryan Khan drugs-on-cruise case, died of a heart attack on Saturday, authorities said.
Dilip Walse-Patil, the Home Minister of Maharashtra, said the death appeared suspicious and has directed Director General of Police Rajnish Seth to launch an investigation, news agency PTI reported.
"Prabhakar Sail, 37, died of a heart attack at his house in Mahul (in Mumbai) on Friday evening," a police official was quoted by PTI in its report.
He was transported to the civic-run Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, where he was pronounced dead, according to the official.
"The sudden death of Sail looks suspicious and I have ordered the DGP to probe the matter," Walse-Patil said.
Police began an investigation by filing an Accidental Death Report at the suburban RCF Police Station.
Sail had been staying in a leased property in the Mahul region for the last several days, according to a senior police officer, who added that it was unclear why he had moved there. Tushar Khandare, Sail's lawyer, verified that he had a heart attack and stated that Sail's family members do not suspect foul play.
Sail, who claimed to be NCB witness K P Gosavi's bodyguard, said in his affidavit that he overheard Gosavi negotiating a Rs 25 crore pay-off arrangement to free Aryan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, in an alleged narcotics seizure case.
Later, the NCB informed a court that Sail had become hostile.
On October 3, 2021, Aryan Khan was apprehended during an NCB operation on a cruise ship off the coast of Mumbai. He and 19 people were charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for suspected drug possession, use, sale/purchase, conspiracy, and abetment. Aryan and 17 others were granted bail, while just two others remain in judicial detention.
(With PTI Inputs)