The Narcotics Control Burau (NCB) has got actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh, and designer Simone Khambatta under the radar in the alleged drugs syndicate case. On Tuesday, the agency summoned Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash for allegedly procuring drugs for the actor. A report in Mid-Day quoted a senior NCB official confirming that it’s likely they will question Padukone soon on the basis of her manager’s statements. The manager, Prakash has asked for a buffer time till September 25 due to ill health and the popular actor will be questioned after Prakash’s statements.
Padukone’s name emerged in the WhatsApp group chats in which ‘D’ was asking ‘K’ for the hash. Prakash is associated with KWAN talent management agency that handles Padukone’s work. She was mentioned by Sushant Singh Rajput‘s former talent manager Jaya Saha in the second round of questioning on Tuesday by the NCB at their guest house in South Bombay.
The NCB official also confirmed that the WhatsApp chats in which Padukone is asking for ‘hash’ dates back to October 28, 2017. The anti-narcotics agency added that the texts exchanged between the actor and her manager show she had asked for ‘maal‘. Now Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor are also facing allegations of drugs. Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor will be questioned on Saturday.
This case was filed on the basis of WhatsApp messages retrieved from Rhea Chakraborty’s mobile phone, which had revealed conversations on procuring drugs. Rhea Chakraborty, a 28-year-old actor, was arrested in a separate case registered after 59 grams of marijuana was seized during searches in Mumbai. She has been accused by the anti-drugs agency of arranging drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput, whom she dated in his last few months.
Let’s see what Padukone has to say about this matter. We are waiting for her statement.