In a major development, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday said that it has summoned Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh for questioning in a drug-related case.
A senior NCB official related to the probe told IANS, “Summons have been issued to Deepika, Sara, Shraddha and Rakul for questioning.
“Besides four Bollywood actors, the NCB has also summoned fashion designer Simone Khambatta.” However, the official did not share the date when these actors have been called for questioning.
#BollyDawoodKilledSSR trends
Amid the investigation, Twitter users trended the hashtag #BollyDawoodKilledSSR in India for hours, claiming that it was Bollywood and its ‘gangs’ that caused Rajput’s death.
“This Syndicate of WHITE COLLARED ELITIST MAFIYAS will be burnt soon!! No One will be Spared, I repeat, No One will be Spared... They’ll have to pay a HUGE amount for KILLING our Sushant Singh Rajput, Disha Salian, Jiah Khan & others! #BollyDawoodKilledSSR,” one person tweeted.
Another wrote: “NCB summons Shraddha Kapoor,Deepika Padukone and Sara Ali Khan. Now you know why they were supportig fake depression theories on Sushant. They feared that the truth will be out and make them exposed. Time to go to the jail now. #BollyDawoodKilledSSR.”
Rajput was found dead on June 14 at his Bandra flat.
Alleged drug chats
The official said that the actors have been summoned after several alleged chats of them discussing drugs came to the fore during the investigation. The NCB has registered a case on the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after it found alleged drug chats between Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, house manager Samuel Miranda.
Rhea, Showik, Miranda, Rajput’s personal staff Dipesh Sawant along with 16 other accused have been arrested by the NCB in the case so far.
Sara Ali Khan is the daughter of noted actor Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, while Shradhha Kapoor is the daughter of veteran actor Shakti Kapoor. Deepika Padukone is the daughter of the badminton icon Prakash Padukone and is married to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh.
The official, however, denied that it has issued any summons to Dia Mirza. Earlier in the day, the NCB continued questioning Rajput’s talent manager Jaya Saha for the third consecutive day.
Besides Saha, the NCB is also questioning Madhu Mantena Varma, a noted producer, who gave blockbusters such as ‘Udta Punjab’ and ‘Ghajini’. According to NCB sources, Varma is being confronted with Saha over alleged chats of them discussing drugs. NCB has also questioned Rajput’s former manager Shruti Modi on a number of occasions.
Besides the NCB, the CBI and the ED are also probing the death case of Rajput.
