Widening the scope of its ongoing investigations into the Sushant Singh Rajput death-related drug case, the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday summoned Bollywood actresses Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preeet Singh and fashion designer Simone Khambatta.
On a day when its officials questioned the late actor’s talent manager Jaya Saha for the third consecutive day and also Udta Punjab and Ghajini producer Madhu Mantena Varma, the NCB issued summons to five Bollywood personalities in connection with the probe in the Sushant death-related drug probe and the larger Bollywood-drug mafia nexus.
NCBs Deputy Director (Operations) KPS Malhotra confirmed that his organisation had sent out summons to Deepika, Sara, Shraddha and Rakul. Official sources said that the NCB had also called Simone, Deepika’s manager Karishma Prakash and Sushant’s former Manager and Shruti Modi for questioning.
In what is being seen as an apparent deviation from the very objective behind the Sushant’s death-related drug case, the NCB appeared to be going whole hog against the Bollywood-drug mafia nexus.
As per the information that trickled out of its office, the NCB has summoned Simone, Rakul, Shruti Modi on September 24, while Deepika and her manager Karishma had been called for questioning on September 25. Sara and Shradhha have been summoned for questioning on September 26.
Deepika’s questioning by the NCB, which has aroused considerable interest among the people across the country, should be seen in the context of the information that surfaced during the questioning of actress-accused Rhea Chakraborty in the drug case.
Karishma works with Jaya Saha, with whom Rhea Chakraborty had chatted about CBD oil, as a manager in Kwan talent management agency. During the questioning, the NCB had reportedly quizzed Jaya if she had any knowledge about Karishma procuring drugs for Deepika Padukone.
The NCB had retrieved Deepika’s WhatsApp chats with Karishma in which the two were seen discussing drugs. Earlier, Jaya’s chats with Rhea Chakraborty about CBD oil were also retrieved by NCB.
After being summoned for questioning, Karishma did not turn up at the NCB office on Tuesday for questioning, saying that she needed some more time, while her talent management agency’s CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar offered to cooperate with the agency in the investigations.
According to sources, the NCB investigations have thrown up a WhatsApp chat of 2017 between D (Deepika Padukone) and K (Karishma). In the chat, Deepika reportedly asks Karishna: “You have Maal?, Karishma responds saying: “Yes, but at home. I am at Bandra. Later Krishma tells Deepika that one Amit is bringing it to a high-end restaurant “koko” at Lower Parel. Deepika seeks to confirm if it is hash not weed.
Meanwhile, Deepika, who is currently shooting for Shakun Batra’s upcoming film in Goa, is expected to leave Goa for Mumbai on Thursday morning.
In a related development, the Bombay High Court postponed by a day the hearing on the bail pleas of Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik, owing to heavy rains in the metropolis.
Rhea, whose bail plea is coming up for hearing before the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, has contended that she was innocent and falsely implicated in the Sushant death-related drug case.
