Celebrities such as Shekhar Suman and Suchitra Krishnamoorthi had recently raised why only actresses had been called in in the Bureau of Narcotics Control (NCB) investigation into the links between Bollywood drugs. The trend will change soon with not one, but three male actors who will be summoned by the investigating agency next week. The three male stars are former co-stars of Deepika Padukone, who has been questioned in the investigation into alleged drug talks, and the call is likely to create “great chaos,” the sources said.
READ: Suchitra Krishnamoorthi ‘horrified’ by no male actor in NCB probe, criticizes industry ‘misogyny’
Deepika Padukone’s co-stars to be summoned
According to sources, three stars will be summoned with the code names ‘A’, ‘S’ and ‘R’. The NCB has found evidence against the three male stars and they could be called up next week.
READ: NCB to summon top 10 Bollywood actors and producers in drug investigation when ‘Phase 3’ begins
The likely development comes on the heels of information that up to 50 popular names, including actors and directors, are under the NCB’s radar. Previously, it was reported that 10 big names in the film industry would be summoned and that up to 6 major stars had contacted their lawyers fearing imminent questioning.
Deepika Padukone questioned
Deepika Padukone had been questioned by the NCB on Saturday, where she had been confronted with her talks where she had asked for ‘maal’ or ‘hash’. Her manager, Karishma Prakash, who was the recipient of the chats, also came face to face with the actor during the chats. Deepika Padukone denied using drugs, but officers weren’t overly satisfied with all of her responses.
His phone and those of Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh, Simone Khambatta, Karishma Prakash, as well as that of Jaya Saha, who is touted as the ‘kingpin’ of the entire cartel, have been cloned for more information. .
Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, and other defendants are already in NCB custody, while an executive producer with a top placard, Kshitij Prasad has also been arrested. Actors Abigail Pande and Sanam Johar have also been booked for alleged possession of drugs. Meanwhile, according to sources, NCB chief Rakesh Asthana has given officers six months of time to record the charge sheet in the case.
NCB’s ‘Phase 3’ Interrogation Begins
Sources had told Republic that ‘Phase 3’ of NCB’s Bollywood drug investigation will see even bigger and more influential names than Deepika Padukone and the others go unnoticed by the agency. Furthermore, the four actors summoned so far – Deepika, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh – appear to have ‘read the same script,’ sources said, adding that they have only accumulated trouble for themselves by doing so and they are aware that they are cornered. All four have claimed that “hashish is not a drug”, while two have also attempted to claim that the NCB is unfamiliar with “Bollywood English”.
Sources told Republic that the NCB has much more evidence that it has yet to present and that another set of subpoenas for the actors has not been ruled out.
READ: Shekhar Suman slaps Bollywood stars ‘inhuman comments’ on Sushant in NCB drug investigation
READ: NCB to respond to arrest call for Bollywood stars in drug investigation; Evidence in sequence
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