SSR case: Gaurav Arya will fully cooperate with ED probe, says lawyer

Panaji, Aug 29 Goa-based hotelier Gaurav Arya, who has been formally summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case filed against Rhea Chakraborty, will "fully cooperate" with the probe, his lawyer said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters outside Arya's resort in North Goa's Anjuna beach village, Delhi-based lawyer Manu Sharma also said that Arya, whose WhatsApp chats with Rhea have gone viral, will be present at the ED office in Mumbai as directed through official summons.

"He will be present at the Mumbai ED office to give his statement... We will cooperate fully," Sharma said.

The lawyer also refused to respond to allegations made against Arya and his reported links to Chakraborty, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's former girlfriend.

"I cannot share any response to allegations. We will give it to the agency," Sharma said.

On Friday, ED after failing to trace the whereabouts of Arya, had issued summons to appear before an ED officer at the agency's Mumbai office on Monday at 11 a.m.

Originally hailing from Delhi, Arya is a Goa-based hotelier and runs Hotel Tamarind, a budget resort located on Anjuna.

Rhea was reportedly in touch with Arya and allegedly had a WhatsApp conversation with the hotelier related to narcotics substances.

On June 14 this year, Sushant was found dead in his Bandra flat in Mumbai in mysterious circumstances. His girlfriend, Rhea, along with others has been accused of abetting his suicide, by the actor's father in a First Information Report registered in Bihar on July 25.

( With inputs from IANS )