Actor Arjun Rampal arrived at the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) Mumbai office at around 11 AM for questioning in an anti-drugs probe that began with inquiries into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June. Mr Rampal, 47, who was initially called Wednesday, will be questioned in connection with alleged drug use in the Hindi film industry, an official told news agency PTI.
The actor’s home had been searched on Monday – after which the summons had been issued – and his girlfriend, Gabriella Demetriades, was questioned for nearly six hours each on Wednesday and Thursday. Her brother, Agisialos Demetriades, has been arrested twice over alleged drugs links.
The NCB has also arrested Paul Bartel, an Australian architect whose name emerged after the questioning of Agisialos Demetriades, a South African national who is currently in the agency’s custody. Mr Bartel, who was arrested in Mumbai, will be produced in court today.
Also on Monday, film producer Firoz Nadiadwala was summoned by the NCB. A day earlier his wife, Shabana Saeed, was arrested after investigators allegedly found 10 grams of marijuana at their home in Mumbai’s Juhu during a raid.
The Nadiadwala residence had been searched following the arrest of drug peddler Wahid Abdul Kadir Shaikh in Andheri a few days earlier. As the agency tracked Shaikh’s clients, links to Ms Saeed, who allegedly purchased 10 grams of the contraband from him, emerged, the NCB said.
Ms Saeed got bail on Tuesday.
Over the last two months top Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Rakulpreet Singh and Shraddha Kapoor have all been questioned by the NCB. The agency has said this is part of its attempt to unravel a network of supply of drugs to celebrities.
