Who is Gaurav Arya? The man named in Rhea's WhatsApp drug chat

After months of Sushant Singh Rajput's death a new drug angle emerged out of the blue from few WhatsApp messages retrieved from Rhea Chakraborty's mobile phone. However, the one new name that appeared in her chat was that of person called Gaurav Arya. The contents of their chats indicated that Rhea sporadically used drugs like MDMA, marijuana, among others. While, the web is flooded with news of Rhea, and her close associates not much is known about the identity of the alleged drug supplier of Rhea Chakraborty, Gaurav Arya.

As per a report published in India Today, Arya  is apparently a hotelier, who has resorts and cafe’s in Goa’s Anjuna and Vagator. His restaurant Cafe Cotinga and other resorts are quite known for parties in Goa. The report further adds that, Gaurav who was born and raised in  Old Delhi. Gaurav started his career with an advertising agency called Grey Worldwide in Delhi. He studied music in the UK and moved to Goa in 2007. His father is also in the hospitality business. Gaurav is connected to the media industry as his brother is the founder, of a digital marketing agency which deals in boosting revenue for hotels. In the report published in India Today, it mentions Arya, has a Bollywood connection and is rumoured to be very close to a prominent a female Bollywood singer who was part of a popular band. 

Gaurav in his interview to Times Now said, he is not connected to any drug related business and is being  dragged into this case for no reason.  In his conversation he stated that he spoke to Rhea three and a half years ago, and his family is being harrowed and has been receiving death threats. He says that he lives alone and it has made life difficult for him. He further adds that he is ready to comply with authorities. After a drug angle came to notice in the Sushant Singh Rajput death, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) began its investigation and filed a case in Delhi. The NCB has registered a case under Sections 20, 22, 27 and 29 of the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act and booked Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty and others, against whom the ED had prepared a case.