MUMBAI: The NCB is likely to summon actor Deepika Padukone and his manager, Karishma Prakash, as part of its broader investigation into the supply and use of drugs in Bollywood.
Another group of celebrities, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and Simone Khambatta, will be summoned this week in connection with the case registered by the office of the NCB in Delhi. This case arose from a series of conversations allegedly recovered from actress Rhea Chakraborty’s cell phone indicating the acquisition and supply of drugs.
The ED investigating the money laundering charges in the death of Sushant Singh Rajput had recovered the chats and sent them to NCB Delhi.
The NCB city unit has so far arrested 20 people related to drug trafficking following investigations into the Rajput’s death. Chakraborty has been arrested for alleged involvement in the procurement and financing of medicines for the Rajput. His brother, Showik, has also been arrested.
On Tuesday, the NCB questioned Rajput talent manager Jaya Saha.
The NCB has registered two FIRs in the Rajput death case. One concerns Chakraborty’s alleged involvement in purchasing and financing Rajput drugs.
The other focuses on the broader spectrum of drug use in Bollywood. It is in this case recorded by NCB inn Delhi that the agency has summoned Padukone and the others.
Attorneys said it was unusual for two units of the same agency to be conducting investigations where there were commonalities.
“This case originated from the CBI office and ED forwarded it to NCB as information,” said defender Rizwan Merchant. “It was information, so it is assumed that the entire investigation is a single one with respect to the NDPS Act, which was revealed to the ED officer. Now, NCB cannot say that it wants to file a second FIR regarding any particular transaction that has come to light during the course of its investigations. This cannot be done unless and until they have decided that all consumers are supposed to compile in one case. If they have done it for convenience, that is fine; it could be an adjustment between departments. Legally speaking there cannot be a second FIR in this particular case ”.
Attorney Ayaz Shaikh called it a strange investigation. “My question is, did these Bollywood figures play a role in Sushant’s death? If not, why does the NCB vilify them? Some of the chat messages are from 2017. How are those conversations related to Sushant’s death? lawyer Ayaz Shaikh Said.
Rhea’s attorney, Satish Maneshinde, said he was not surprised, but “was shocked” by everything that was going on at the NCB.
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