The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is probing the drugs case linked to Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, is set to record the statements of Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan in Mumbai on Saturday, an official said.
IMAGE: Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh arrive at Mumbai International Airport, after the former was summoned by NCB in a Bollywood drugs probe, in Mumbai, on Thursday. Photograph: PTI Photo
All three actors had been summoned by the NCB’s probe team on Wednesday, the official said.
“Accordingly, these actors will reach the NCB office in south Mumbai later today,” he said.
According to the official, the Mumbai police has deployed adequate security outside the NCB office.
Deepika’s manager Karishma Prakash, who was questioned by the team on Friday, has also been asked to remain present for further questioning on Saturday, he added.
Prakash’s WhatsApp chats included conversations about drugs with one ‘D’ and the central agency wanted to find out who this person was, the NCB sources had said earlier.
The NCB team also got important information about the case during the questioning of Rajput’s talent manager Jaya Saha, the official said.
“The actors’ names had surfaced during the interrogation of some accused in the case,” he said.
Actors Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh’s names cropped up during the questioning of Rhea Chakraborty, Rajput’s girlfriend who has been arrested by the NCB in the drugs case along with over a dozen others.
Rakul Preet Singh recorded her statement on Friday.
She was questioned for about four hours.
Dharma Productions’ executive producer Kshitij Ravi was also questioned by the NCB on Friday.
There were reports that Deepika’s husband actor Ranveer Singh has asked the agency whether he can be present during his wife’s interrogation.
However, the NCB on Friday clarified that they have not received any such request.
The NCB began the inquiry after a drugs angle came to light in connection with Rajput’s alleged suicide.
Rajput, 34, was found hanging in his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14.