Deepika Padukone denies using or asking for drugs; NCB seizes her phone; verification next

Deepika Padukone denied consuming or procuring drugs during her questioning by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday, sources said to Republic. The actor had been confronted with her chats where she was seen asking for ‘maal’ and ‘hash’, during her interrogation, and had accepted them, sources had said yesterday adding that the NCB team is not satisfied with her responses. The investigating agency is set to cross-verify the statement with data, as the officials also seized her phone.

READ: Sushant Case & Drug Probe LIVE Updates: NCB Seizes Phones Of Deepika, Sara,Rakul Preet

Deepika Padukone questioned by NCB

The NCB will examine Deepika Padukone’s denial on consumption and procurement of drugs, with her digital data that has been retrieved and the statements of the other persons related to her. Following her questioning for almost 6 hours at the NCB guest house on Saturday, the officers were not satisfied with her answers and felt it was ‘evasive and tutored.’ They have not given her a clean chit, neither have they ruled out future summons or confrontation, sources said.

Deepika Padukone had been confronted along with her manager Karishma Prakash, who appeared for questioning for the second time, on Saturday. Deepika’s 'maal' conversation had been with Karishma, who is also employed with KWAN, the talent management agency that manages the actor. Other members of the company were also present in a group named ‘DP+Ka+KWAN’, including Jaya Saha.

READ: From Deepika, Sara & Shraddha's Grilling To Kshitij's Arrest, An Update Of NCB Probe Today

The company had come under lens with talent manager Jaya Saha's interrogation. KWAN’s founding partner Dhruv Chitgopekar has also been questioned by the investigation.

Meanwhile, a day after Rakul Preet Singh’s questioning, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor were also quizzed by the NCB. As per sources, even their phones and that of Simone Khambata, Karishma Prakash and Jaya Saha have been impounded by the NCB. Sara was also asked for her phones used in 2017 and 2018, to which she replied that she was not aware about it. 

In the statement to the media, the NCB refused to give away too much information, but stated that no further summons had been issued to the actors. The officers will be submitting a report to NCB DG Rakesh Asthana. NCB Deputy DG (Southwest Region), Mutha Ashok Jain also confirmed Kshitij Prasad’s arrest, and that he will be produced before the court on Sunday.

READ: NCB Seizes Mobile Phones Of Deepika, Sara, Rakul Preet & 3 Others Amid Probe: Sources

READ: NCB Issues Statement After Marathon Grilling Of Sara, Shraddha, Deepika; Kshitij Arrested