Deepika Padukone reportedly had a conversation about buying hashish with her manager (File)
Bombay:
Actor Deepika Padukone is being questioned as part of an expanded drug investigation linked to the investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. She arrived for questioning this morning at the Evelyn Guest House in Colaba in Mumbai, where the Narcotics Control Bureau’s special investigative team has set up a base.
Deepika Padukone has been summoned along with other Bollywood actors Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan, who will also be interviewed today.
Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor are expected to be interviewed at the BCN office at Ballard Estate.
Ms Padukone’s manager, Karishma Prakash, who was questioned on Friday, also reached the BCN office for questioning for the second day today. Ms Prakash’s interrogation lasted much longer than that of actor Rakul Preet Singh, which lasted four hours, sources said.
The NCB questioned Rakul Preet Singh and Karishma Prakash about the content of the WhatsApp chat which allegedly indicated that the marijuana had been purchased for consumption.
The growing investigation into Bollywood’s drug links began with the questioning of actor Rhea Chakraborty, three months after Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai home on June 14.
Sources from the Bureau of Narcotics Control, whose mandate is to tackle the biggest drug cartels, not individual consumers, said the agency was interviewing Bollywood A-listers to understand the supply network via suspected consumers.
It should be noted that the actors have not been named as accused in any drug investigation case and are only interviewed.
During her interrogation before her arrest, Rhea Chakraborty reportedly named stars, including Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh, in connection with drug use. His lawyer rejected this request.
Sara Ali Khan was also the co-star of Sushant Singh Rajput in the movie “Kedarnath”; Sushant Rajput developed the drug habit during the filming of the film, according to Rhea Chakraborty’s bail application before the Bombay High Court.
Sushant Singh’s family through their lawyer Vikas Singh had expressed their displeasure with the direction of the probe calling “the NCB probe also going in the same direction as the Mumbai police probe … calling large names in questioning just for attention. “
