Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau on Friday grilled actress Ananya Pandey for four hours after she was summoned for the second consecutive day in connection with the cruise drugs case.
While probing the sensational case, involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan, the NCB sleuths discovered alleged drug-related WhatsApp chat between Aryan and Ananya.
According to the anti-drug agency, the chat was related to procurement of ganja hence Ananya’s residence was also searched by the NCB officials on Thursday.
During the search, the officials seized the laptop and mobile phone of Ananya, after which she was summoned to the NCB office on Thursday evening.
On Thursday, the actress was quizzed for two hours and was called again on Friday. The anti-drugs agency has summonmed her again on Monday.
While in the latest chain of events, the NCB has detained a 24-year-old drug peddler on the basis of the WhatsApp chat in question.
However, the NCB expressly clarified that Ananya doesn’t have any role in the case, she was just questioned following her chat with Aryan.
It further said that the agency wants to know from her about Aryan’s activities and his friends. She may be a witness in the case, nothing else, it added.
Post the October 3 raid on the cruise ship, a total of 18 people—including some girls from Delhi—have been arrested so far by the NCB.
In the last hearing before the special NDPS court, the NCB had submitted Aryan’s WhatsApp chat as evidence and also opposed his bail on the grounds of this ‘incriminating’ virtual communication.
Subsequently, the judge accepted the agency’s contention and rejected the bail plea of Aryan who has now sought relief from the Bombay High Court. (UNI)
