NCB searches Rampal’s home; Nadiadwala appears for questioning

Mumbai, November 9

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Monday carried out a search at the residence of actor Arjun Rampal here as part of it probe into alleged drug use in Bollywood and also asked him to appear before the agency on November 11, an official said.

Electronic gadgets were seized during the search at the house of the 47-year-old actor in suburban Bandra, said the central agency official.

Summons was also issued to Rampal, asking him to appear before the drug law enforcement agency on November 11, he said.

The NCB also questioned the driver of the model-turned-actor for several hours on Monday, the official said.

Meanwhile, Bollywood producer Firoz Nadiadwala, whose wife was arrested on Sunday for alleged drug possession, appeared before the NCB on Monday to record his statement, he said.

Nadiadwala reached the NCB office in the afternoon for questioning, the official said. He was summoned by the anti-drugs agency on Sunday but he failed to appear.

The NCB arrested Nadiadwala’s wife after ganja was allegedly found at their residence in suburban Juhu.

On Sunday, a team of NCB sleuths searched the residence of the Nadiadwalas and seized 10 grams of ganja, officials said, adding the contraband was procured from one Wahid Abdul Kadir Sheikh alias Sultan who was arrested earlier.

“We have arrested Firoz Nadiadwala’s wife under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Further investigation is on,” an official said on Sunday.

The NCB has so far arrested five persons, including Nadiadwala’s wife, during its latest crackdown on drug peddlers and their clients.

A total of 727.1gram ganja, 74.1 gram charas, 95.1 gram MD and Rs 3,58,610 in cash have been seized till now from the accused, the official added.

The NCB started its probe into alleged drug use in Bollywood after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June on the basis of WhatsApp chats involving drugs.

The central agency had earlier arrested Rajput’s girlfriend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, some employees of the late filmstar and a few others under various sections of the NDPS Act.

Rhea Chakraborty and some other accused are currently out on bail. PTI