Bollywood’s troubles with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) are far from over. As reported by ANI, the agency today conducted a search at Arjun Rampal’s property in Mumbai after allegations of drug links. The search comes days after his partner Gabriella Demetriades’s brother, Agisilaos Demetriades was arrested by the NCB over alleged links to drug peddling.
Narcotics Control Bureau conducts raid at the premises of actor Arjun Rampal in Mumbai
(file pic) pic.twitter.com/QZGj900hNb— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2020
Yesterday, the NCB also arrested Shabana Saeed, producer Firoz Nadiadwala’s partner on finding 10 grams of marijuana at their Mumbai residence, as per reports by the PTI. The ANI had further reported that she and four others who had been arrested in the case were taken for medical examination, while Firoz Nadiadwala had been summoned for inquiry.
This is hardly the first time that a film industry insider has come under the NCB’s radar; post-Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and an irresponsible media trial, a number of actors were interviewed at length by the law enforcement agency which overlooks illegal substance use. The case had also included the late actor’s partner, Rhea Chakraborty‘s arrest over allegations which were dismissed by the Bombay High Court after almost a month of her time in jail. “She is not part of drug dealers. She has not forwarded the drugs allegedly procured by her to somebody else to earn monetary or other benefits,” the court had said while granting bail.
In a rare statement, the Producer’s Guild of India too had spoken out about the film industry being presented as “a murky den of substance abuse and criminality” via news channels. “This narrative is salacious enough for the media to exploit to great effect in order to boost its ratings, readership and page views. But it is not the truth,” a part of the statement had said.
Bollywood producer Firoz Nadiadwala's wife Shabana Saeed arrested under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after 10 grams of ganja was allegedly recovered from their residence in Mumbai's suburban Juhu: Narcotics Control Bureau officials
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 8, 2020
The Narcotics Control Bureau is yet to make a formal statement about the developments though it is being reported that this search and others are in relation to the agency continuing to investigate alleged substance abuse links in Bollywood.
Featured Image: Twitter
