South Indian film actor Srikanth, also known as Sriram, was arrested on Monday by Greater Chennai Police in connection with a drug-related investigation. The 46-year-old actor, known for his work across Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema, was remanded in judicial custody until July 7 by a magistrate following his formal appearance.

Srikanth Arrested In Drug Case

The arrest came after AIADMK IT wing member T Prasad was taken into custody on suspicion of supplying banned substances. Police say that evidence collected during Prasad’s interrogation linked Srikanth to the alleged drug network.

Srikanth was taken to the Nungambakkam Police Station for questioning, where he underwent nearly nine hours of interrogation. A blood sample was collected during the process and later confirmed the presence of narcotics, according to police, as per a report on NDTV.

He was produced before Magistrate Dhayalan of the 14th Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Egmore. Given the circumstances, the hearing was conducted at the magistrate's residence in the Judicial Officers' Quarters in Chennai, reported ANI.

His arrest follows increased scrutiny of drug use in the South Indian film industry, with recent questioning of Malayalam actors Shine Tom Chacko and Sreenath Bhasi in similar cases.

Who Is Srikanth? 

Srikanth first rose to fame through the television series Jannal—Marabu Kavithaigal directed by K Balachander in 1999, and transitioned to films with his 2002 debut in 'Roja Kootam' in Tamil. In Telugu cinema, Srikanth goes by the name Sriram to avoid confusion with another actor of the same name who is his contemporary.

Srikanth rose to fame with his performances in films like 'April Maadhathil' (2002), 'Parthiban Kanavu' (2003), and 'Okariki Okaru' (2003). He later transitioned to action roles, notably in 'Drohi' (2010). In 2012, he featured in 'Nanban', the Tamil remake of '3 Idiots', directed by S Shankar.

He married an MBA graduate Vandana in 2008 and he has two children.