Deepika Padukone's manager summoned by NCB in drugs probe
In a fresh development in the ongoing drugs probe related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, actor Deepika Padukone's manager Karishma Prakash has been summoned. She has been asked to appear for questioning before the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), today. Her name reportedly came up during the questioning of actor Rhea Chakraborty's talent manager Jaya Saha on Monday. Here are more details.
Notably, Jaya works at the KWAN talent management agency, the same agency that was earlier quizzed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in connection with Sushant's death case. According to reports, the director of the KWAN agency, Dhruv Chitgopekar has also been summoned by the NCB and is expected to appear for questioning today. Meanwhile, Jaya has been summoned on Tuesday as well.
It has been reported that Deepika's name surfaced from certain WhatsApp chats recovered from Jaya's phone during investigation. In the purported chats, dated October 2017, Deepika and others had talked about procuring "maal" and "hash." Citing sources, some reports have claimed that Deepika may also receive summons for questioning by the NCB later this week.
It was earlier reported that actors Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh might be summoned by the NCB for questioning this week. Meanwhile, fashion designer Simone Khambatta may also be called for interrogation. Their names had come up during the questioning of Rhea Chakraborty, who was arrested earlier this month in this case.
Sushant, a 34-year-old Bollywood star, was found dead at his apartment in Mumbai's Bandra on June 14. The actor died by suicide and had been suffering from depression and bipolar disorder, Mumbai Police had said at the time. His family, however, contested claims of mental illness, and accused Rhea, his girlfriend, of mentally harassing him and driving him to his death.
Meanwhile, Rhea, a 28-year-old model and actor, who had been dating Sushant for a year, was arrested by the NCB on allegations of arranging banned drugs such as marijuana for the late actor. Her brother Showik, two employees of Sushant, and a number of alleged drug peddlers have also been nabbed. Rhea is currently in judicial custody of the agency until September 22.
