An argument, believed to be drug-related, led to the stabbing of a 26-year-old man, who is now in intensive care fighting for his life.

Sources said the man, Roderick Grech was critically injured after being stabbed several times in the early hours of yesterday.

The police said they were alerted after they received reports of a man lying in a pool of blood on the pavement in Tumas Fenech Street, Birkirkara.

When officers from the RIU arrived shortly after 1am, they found the man unconscious. Sources said a rented vehicle, believed to have been used by the alleged assailant, was on site when the police arrived.

Investigators are believed to be working on the theory that Mr Grech and his assailant argued over a deal involving drugs, though this could not be immediately ascertained.

The sources said a man suspected to be the assailant was arrested yesterday morning in connection with a separate case. Magistrate Josette Demicoli was informed of the stabbing and opened an inquiry. Mr Grech is known to the police. In August 2012, he admitted his involvement in an armed robbery of The Convenience Shop in Birkirkara.

It turned out to be a high-profile case. A controversy ensued when it emerged that a man first accused of the robbery was innocent.

Mr Grech was arraigned two days after Darryl Luke Borg had been charged with the hold-up.

This led to Mr Borg’s immediate release, and a retired judge was appointed to head an inquiry into why the police had arraigned the wrong man.