A, S & R - top male Bollywood co-stars of Deepika Padukone to face NCB drug probe summons

Celebrities like Shekhar Suman and Suchitra Krishnamoorthi had recently raised why only female actresses had been called in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) investigation into Bollywood-drug links. The trend is set to change soon with not one, but three male actors set to be summoned by the investigating agency in the next week. All the three male stars are former co-stars of Deepika Padukone who has been questioned in the probe over alleged chats about drugs, and the summons are likely to create ‘huge chaos’, sources said.

READ: Suchitra Krishnamoorthi 'aghast' At No Male Actors In NCB Probe, Slams Industry 'misogyny'

Deepika Padukone’s co-stars to be summoned

As per sources, three stars with code names 'A', 'S' and 'R' are to be summoned. The NCB has found evidence against the three male stars and they could be summoned next week.

READ:NCB To Summon 10 TOP Bollywood Actors & Producers In Drug Probe As 'Phase 3' Begins

The likely development comes close on the heels of information that as many as 50 popular names including actors and directors being under the NCB radar. Earlier, it was reported that 10 big names of the film industry were to be summoned, and that up to 6 top stars had contacted their lawyers fearing imminent questioning.   

Deepika Padukone questioned 

Deepika Padukone had been questioned by the NCB on Saturday, where she had been confronted with her chats where she had asked for ‘maal’ or ‘hash.’  Her manager Karishma Prakash, who was the recipient of the chats, too was brought face to face with the actor over the chats. Deepika Padukone denied consuming drugs, but the officers were not too satisfied with all her answers.

Her phone and those of Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh, Simone Khambatta, Karishma Prakash, as well as Jaya Saha, who is being touted as the ‘kingpin’ of the entire cartel, have been cloned for further information. 

Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and other accused are already under NCB custody, while an executive producer with a top banner, Kshitij Prasad has also been arrested. Actors Abigail Pande and Sanam Johar have also been booked over alleged possession of drugs. Meanwhile, as per sources, NCB Chief Rakesh Asthana has given the officers six months time to register the chargesheet in the case.  

'Phase 3' of NCB's questioning to begin

Sources had told Republic that the 'Phase 3' of NCB's Bollywood drug probe will see names even bigger and more influential than Deepika Padukone and the others coming under the agency's radar. Furthermore, the four actors summoned so far - Deepika, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh - appear to all have 'read from the same script', sources said, adding that they have only piled on the trouble for themselves by doing so and are aware that they are cornered. All four have claimed that 'hash isn't a drug', while two have also tried to claim that the NCB isn't versed with 'Bollywood English'.

Sources told Republic that the NCB has a lot more evidence it hasn't presented yet and another set of summons for the actors hasn't been ruled out.

READ:Shekhar Suman Hits Out At Bollywood Stars' 'inhuman' Remarks On Sushant In NCB Drug Probe

READ:NCB To Take Call On Arresting Bollywood Stars In Drug Probe; Evidence Being Sequenced