In the latest development of the Bureau of Narcotics Control (NCB) investigation into the nexus of drugs in the Bollywood film industry, sources from the central agency informed the Republic Media Network that the cell phones of Bollywood celebrities : Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor have been seized by NCB. It has also come to light that the phones of Deepika’s manager, Karishma Prakash, and KWAN’s employee, Jaya Saha, have also been confiscated by Office officials. Sources report that NCB will be looking for clues and more digital evidence of its connection and involvement in the apparently widespread network of drug trafficking in the film industry.
On Saturday, actors Deepika Padukone, along with her manager Karishma Prakash-Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan appeared before NCB officials for questioning regarding their role in the Bollywood drug nexus. The NCB, in recent days, has busted the extensive network of drug traffickers, street vendors and film industry ringleaders in the course of its investigation into the drug angle in the mysterious death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in early June this year.
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According to sources, Sara Ali Khan was asked to deposit the phone that he had used in 2017-2018 and the actor claimed that he did not know where the phone is. Earlier in the day, NCB officials confronted Deepika Padukone with digital evidence collected from Jaya Saha’s phone that showed the actor’s conversations about obtaining ‘maal’ for her. The actor reportedly accepted that he had asked for drugs and answered NCB’s questions allegedly in a vague way, in monosyllabic responses.
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On Friday, actor Rakul Preet Singh and famous fashion designer Simone Khambatta were questioned by the NCB in their office and this has led to more uncovering of drug trafficking in the film industry. Rakul Preet’s confessions led to the arrest of Dharma Productions associate executive producer Kshitij Ravi Prasad on Saturday. However, Rakul and Simone’s phones have also been seized by the OCN to further investigate their connections.
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NCB to prepare an investigation report
The central agency will send a summary of its investigation to the director general of the central agency, Rakesh Asthana, within 3 days along with a report on its findings. The SIT in Mumbai is expected to present its data separately from that of the team in Delhi. The NCB, in its statement Saturday, has revealed that so far 18 arrests have been made in the case and many people have been questioned, adding that everything will be reviewed to decide its future course of action.
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