Karan Johar replies to NCB over 2019 party video; submits pen drive & letter to agency

Filmmaker Karan Johar responded on Friday to the intimation issued to him by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) over a 2019 party video. His team informed that he has submitted his reply through his advocate, sources said. Johar has submitted a pen drive and a letter with the NCB, via his lawyer and a staffer, sources added.

READ: Karan Johar Summoned By Narcotics Control Bureau In Bollywood Drugs Case

Karan Johar summoned by NCB 

Karan Johar was intimated by the NCB on Thursday. He was asked to respond by Friday. The matter pertains to a 2019 video, shot at his residence and uploaded by him on social media. The video also featured Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Shahid Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Vicky Kaushal, among others.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa had alleged that the stars were consuming drugs at the party. Karan Johar and some of the other stars in the video have denied the allegations.

READ:Madhur Bhandarkar Files Complaint Against Karan Johar For Misusing Title 'Bollywood Wives'

After filing a complaint with the Mumbai Police last year, Sirsa then approached the NCB, which had been probing the Bollywood-linked drug nexus in the aftermath of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. The agency took Sirsa's complaint up in September and started investigation. 

Karan Johar had previously released a statement, when a former employee of his company named Kshitij Ravi Prasad had been arrested by the NCB in the investigation linked to the SSR case.  

"I had already clarified my position way back in 2019 that the allegations are completely baseless and false. No narcotics substance was consumed in the party. I would like to unequivocally once again state that I do not consume narcotics and I do not promote or encourage consumption of any such substance.

All these slanderous and malicious statements, have unnecessarily subjected me, my family, and my colleagues, and Dharma Productions, to hatred, contempt and ridicule.

I would like to further state that Kshitij Prasad and Anubhav Chopra — I do not know these individuals personally and neither of these two individuals are 'aides' or 'close aides'. Neither I, nor Dharma Productions can be made responsible for what people do in their personal lives. These allegations do not pertain to Dharma Productions.

I wish to further state that Anubhav Chopra is not an employee at Dharma Productions. He was briefly associated with us for only two months in the capacity of 2nd assistant director for a film, between November 2011 and January 2012 and as assistant director for the short film in January 2013. He has thereafter never been associated with Dharma.

Mr. Kshitij Ravi Prasad joined Dharmatic in November 2019 as one of the executive producers on contract basis for a project which eventually did not materialise.

However, in the past few days, the media has resorted to distasteful and false allegations. I hope the members of the media would exercise restraint else I will be left with no option but to legally protect my rights against this baseless attack on me." Karan Johar said.

READ:Goa Govt Seeks Apology From Karan Johar's Production House For 'littering'

READ:'Probe Drug Angle': Sirsa Irked With NCB's Move To Re-examine Karan Johar's Party Video