In a startling disclosure, Sankar Jiwal, the head of Tamil Nadu’s police force, revealed on Thursday that Jaffer Sadiq, a wanted suspect by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), had previously sponsored CCTV installations in Chennai city.
Addressing reporters, Jiwal disclosed that Sadiq had contributed funds for the installation of CCTV cameras in the Nungambakkam area. However, following recent developments, the police opted to remove the cameras donated by Sadiq and replaced them with new ones.
“We returned the CCTV cameras to the firm through which Sadiq donated them to the city police and installed new CCTV cameras,” clarified Jiwal, emphasizing the need for updated surveillance measures.
Despite Sadiq’s alleged involvement in illicit activities, Jiwal noted that officials from the NCB had not yet reached out to Tamil Nadu police to aid in the apprehension of the absconding suspect. Sadiq, known for his involvement in Tamil film production and his role as an office-bearer of the NRI wing of the DMK, faced dismissal from the party amidst the NCB’s investigation.
Sadiq’s disappearance followed the NCB’s crackdown on a drug cartel smuggling synthetic substances to various foreign destinations from India, including New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asian countries.
Providing further insights, Jiwal revealed that a case against Sadiq, filed by the MKB Nagar police in 2013, had been closed in 2017, shedding light on the suspect’s prior encounters with law enforcement.
Jiwal’s remarks came during a ceremony at the Chennai police commissioner’s office, where he presented badges and certificates to members of anti-drug clubs from colleges across the city.Ā