The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday recorded statements by actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan in the drug investigation linked to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput and an alleged link between Bollywood and drugs. Major sources have informed Republic Media Network that NCB teams led by KPS Deputy Director Malhotra, Sameer Wankhede and Ashok Jain will now prepare a detailed report that will include all aspects of the investigation into the alleged drug ring in Mumbai. Sources have told Republic that the OCN team believes the actors were “fully prepared for questioning.”
Several big names under the NCB scanner
The sources reported that the head of the SIT team will travel to Delhi on Monday to present his report. The head of the OCN, Rakesh Asthana, will personally review all aspects of the investigation and the central anti-drug agency is expected to carry out more raids and seizures in Mumbai. The NCB has encountered several big names during questioning of the actors and is working on a new action plan, the sources added.
Sources have also said that Deepika Padukone, Rakul Preet Singh, Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan have not received a clean complaint and could be summoned again for questioning, as the OCN is verifying certain claims made by them. While Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor were questioned at the NCB zonal office on the Ballard Estate, Padukone was questioned at a guest house in Colaba. Shraddha Kapoor arrived at the OCN office around 12 pm and left after six hours, while Sara Ali Khan arrived around 1 pm and they both left around 6:10 pm.
Deepika Padukone confronted her manager Karishma Prakash during questioning, sources said. Deepika, who arrived at the guest house around 9.50am, left at 3.50pm. Prakash, who had also been questioned on Friday, was also allowed to leave around 3.40pm. So far, the agency has arrested at least 18 people in these cases.
READ | Bollywood Drug Investigation: NCB to Submit Status Report in 3 Days; will send DG Rakesh Asthana
READ | Deepika Padukone denies using or ordering drugs; NCB takes her phone; next check
NCB to seek four-day custody of Kshitij Ravi Prasad
Meanwhile, the NCB will seek custody of Kshitij Ravi Prasad for four days after arresting him on Saturday. According to sources, Prasad, who is an executive producer and director previously linked to one of Bollywood’s top production companies, has not been ‘uncooperative’ and giving evasive responses. Kshitij Prasad was taken for a medical examination before the court process. When asked for an answer, he said through his car window: “They are framing me… Yes, it is true. They didn’t take anything out of my house. “
Kshitij Ravi Prasad named two Bollywood celebrities and two producers during his questioning. He also claimed that he was ‘asked to buy’ while revealing a big name to the investigating agency. According to sources, high-profile names used to buy him drugs.
Denials and feigned ignorance are a feature of questioning the stars and helpers
Deepika Padukone has denied using or ordering drugs, sources told Republic, adding that she had nevertheless accepted her conversations with Jaya Saha and Karishma as part of a WhatsApp group ‘DP + Ka + KWAN’ in which others were present. KWAN bigwigs. The NCB is said to have found her statement instructed and was not satisfied, without ruling out future interrogations and confrontations. Meanwhile, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor also denied using drugs in their respective interrogations. While Sara, who was called based on the questioning of Rhea Chakraborty, is believed to have told NCB that Sushant Singh Rajput used drugs, Shraddha Kapoor was silent about her talk with Jaya Saha in which they discuss her CBD oil.
Meanwhile, Karishma Prakash told NCB that ‘hashish is not drugs’ regarding a conversation she was questioned about, while Jaya Saha claimed that’ high society ‘people referred to cigarettes as’ nonsense and shoots’ and that they were not drugs.
READ | NCB seizes cell phones of Deepika, Sara, Rakul Preet and 3 other people in the middle of an investigation: Sources
READ | Kshitij yells ‘they’re framing me, they didn’t take anything out of the house’ as NCB seeks 4-day custody
.
