Ananya Pandey reaches NCB office after summons in cruise drug seizure case

Ananya Pandey reached NCB office at 4.15pm in response to summons by the federal drug enforcement agency. NCB had earlier carried out searches at her house.

MUMBAI: Actress Ananya Pandey on Thursday joined the investigation in the cruise drug seizure case in which the Narcotics Control Bureau has arrested 20 people including Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.

Actor Ananya Panday reached NCB office along with her father Chunky Pandey at Ballard Estate in Mumbai. (HT Photo/Anshuman Poyrekar)

NCB summoned Ananya Pandey after a team of the agency officers searched her house on Thursday as the investigators reportedly came across WhatsApp chats exchanged between her and Aryan Khan. An NCB officer said the chats were “drugs related“.

Ananya Pandey reached NCB office at 4.15 pm and was accompanied by her father Chunky Pandey.

In Pics: Ananya Panday and Chunky Panday reach NCB office after raids at her home

Aryan was arrested on October 3 following raid on a cruise ship anchored at International Cruise Terminal in Mumbai. The cruise was set to go to Goa when NCB conducted searches of the guests and arrested Aryan along with his friend Arbaaz Merchant and model Munmun Dhamecha. The agency claimed to have found 6 grams of Charas in a plastic pouch concealed in Arbaaz’s shoe.

Earlier, on Wednesday a special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act court denied bail to Aryan, saying there was prima facie evidence that the 23-year-old son was indulging in “illicit drug activities” on a regular basis, and could commit a similar offence if released. The court also rejected bail pleas of Arbaaz, 26, and Dhamecha, 28.

Aryan is presently lodged in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Central prison. His father Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday morning met him at the prison, first time since his arrest.