Published 14:57 IST, September 28th 2020
'Bigger names than Deepika' in HUGE Phase 3 of NCB's Bollywood Drug probe; to last a month
After Rhea Chakraborty’s arrest and questioning of Deepika Padukone, ‘bigger’ names are likely to emerge soon in phase 3 of the Narcotics Control Bureau probe.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is nowhere near done in its ongoing probe into the Bollywood-drug nexus, sources have confirmed to Republic. After Rhea Chakraborty’s arrest and questioning of Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh among others, ‘bigger and more influential’ names are likely to tumble out soon and be summoned, as per sources. The upcoming phase of the probe is likely to last for a month and will involve the biggest names in Bollywood.
Biggest names in NCB’s 3rd phase of drug probe
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had come into the picture after finding evidence of Rhea Chakraborty’s alleged involvement in a drug cartel when the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate were probing the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Her questioning, subsequent arrest and that of her brother Showik, and Sushant’s staff like Samuel Miranda and Dipesh Sawant was part of Phase 1 of the investigation.
Phase 2 led to the emergence of stars more popular than Rhea Chakraborty, like Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh all in relation to FIRs filed to do with the Sushant death case probe. The actors had been confronted with their alleged chats where they had sought drugs, and their phones have been improunded and being cloned. Employees of talent agency KWAN were also summoned, and it was their chats with the stars that led to the summons and the line of questioning on Friday and Saturday, over which no clean chits have been given.
As per sources, Phase 3 of the NCB probe is set to bring ‘bigger names' behind the scenes and under the radar at present. The officers are likely to call the ‘more influential names’ and the process will last for a month. Not just that, names of those associated with the media are also likely to emerge in this probe.
NCB's Bollywood drug probe
Rhea Chakraborty and others involved with Sushant have been remanded to NCB custody till October 6 and are currently lodged at the Byculla jail. Kshijit Prasad, an executive producer and director formerly associated with a top production house, is under NCB custody tilll October 3. Actors Abigail Pande and Sanam Johar have also booked over alleged seizure of drugs from their home.
Meanwhile, the arrival of NCB DG Rakesh Asthana in Mumbai and his meeting with officers Sameer Wankhede and Deputy Director KPS Malhotra brought out another dimension to the ongoing probe. As per sources, he has given the officers six months time to file the chargesheet. None of the actors have received a clean chit yet.
Updated 14:57 IST, September 28th 2020