Bollywood drug case: NCB questioning Deepika Padukone’s ex-manager Karishma Prakash

Prakash presented herself on Wednesday afternoon after the NCB had given an assurance to a special court on Tuesday that it would not take any coercive action against her

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials are questioning actor Deepika Padukone’s former manager Karishma Prakash in connection with an alleged drug angle in actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Karishma Prakash at NCB office for questioning, in Mumbai earlier in September. (File photo)

Prakash presented herself before NCB investigators on Wednesday afternoon after the central agency had assured a special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances court on Tuesday that it would not take any coercive action against her. Following this, Prakash had informed the court through her lawyer that she will cooperate with the NCB investigation.

NCB gave the assurance as Prakash had approached the special court for an anticipatory bail. The agency, through its counsel Atul Sarpande, had said that Prakash’s name had cropped up during the investigation of the drug angle in Rajput’s death.

Last week, the agency had searched Prakash’s residence in Versova and recovered 1.7 grams hashish and three bottles of cannabidiol (CBD) oil.

It is alleged that Prakash was in contact with the peddlers arrested in the case. NCB had earlier questioned her on September 25 and 26 for approximately 12 hours as part of its probe into Rajput’s death.

So far, 25 accused have been arrested in the case, including actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, Rajput’s staff Samuel Miranda, Dipak Sawant, and alleged drug peddlers Zaid Vilatra and Abdul Basit Parihar.

Chakraborty was granted bail by Bombay high court on October 7, while her brother’s bail application was rejected. The special court on Tuesday extended his judicial custody till November 11.