PTI

NEW DELHI, may 23: Former cricketer Maninder Singh, who was caught with cocaine, has confessed resorting to drugs in order to help overcome a "rough patch" that he was going through in his personal life.

The police claimed that the 41-year-old cricketer-turned-commentator was a "regular cocaine user" and was planning a getaway in Mumbai, where he was supposed to stay at the Wankhade stadium, to unwind.

The former off-spinner also admitted having consumed cocaine on earlier occasions at a farmhouse near Mahipalpur on the Delhi-Gurgaon road. Cocaine is a high-end ecstasy drug that doesn’t come cheap for Rs 3,500 a gram.

The police claimed to have prior information about the cricketer’s deal with drug peddler Saim Siddiqui, who was also arrested on Tuesday by sleuths from the Narcotics Branch. Siddiqui was slated to arrange the "stuff" for the cricketer for his Mumbai escapade.

Singh was arrested by the police near his Gagan Apartments flat in Defence Enclave Park in Preet Vihar area of East Delhi when he was about to leave for the airport.

While 1.5 grams of cocaine was seized from him, 100 grams of charas was found from Saim. A case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotrophic Substances Act was registered against them.

Singh, a left-arm spinner who played for India in the 1980s before retiring in 1993, was booked for consuming drugs, while Saim has been charged with drug peddling.

Singh has played in 35 Tests getting 88 wickets and 59 one-day internationals taking 66 scalps in the 1980s.