The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru Police arrested Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi in connection with an ongoing probe of drug menace in the film industry. An FIR has been registered at the Cottonpet police station of the city. She is likely to be produced before a magistrate via video conferencing.
Earlier in the day, the police had raided her residence. The CCB on Wednesday had issued a notice to the actress to appear before it for investigations on Thursday, but the actress had sent a team of lawyers who had requested for time till Monday. However, CCB police had raided her residence after obtaining a court warrant on Friday.
Ragini was detained for questioning and arrested after seven hours of sustained interrogation. Her request for anticipatory bail is pending before the Session’s court which has posted it for hearing on September 7.
Earlier in the evening, speaking to reporters at a press conference, Bengaluru Commissioner of Police said the raid had been conducted based on credible information provided by two people Ravishankar and Rahul who have been seized a truck carrying 204 kilograms of marijuana on August 27 which led them to Ravishankar and Rahul.
While Ravishankar is said to be a government employee working with RTO (regional transport office) and very close to Ragini, Rahul is a real estate developer said to be close to another actress Sanjana Galrani. Pant did not specify whether any other Kannada film personalities would be called for investigation or arrested cryptically saying, “You have only seen the trailer, wait for the full movie”.
{{/usCountry}}While Ravishankar is said to be a government employee working with RTO (regional transport office) and very close to Ragini, Rahul is a real estate developer said to be close to another actress Sanjana Galrani. Pant did not specify whether any other Kannada film personalities would be called for investigation or arrested cryptically saying, “You have only seen the trailer, wait for the full movie”.
{{/usCountry}}Both of them during interrogation are believed to have confessed to not only using but procuring drugs and selling them to celebrities. Pant said, “They have told us who used to supply them and we are investigating.”
Karnataka home minister Basvaraja Bommai earlier speaking to reporters at his residence had said that the probe into the drug racket in the state would continue till full details emerged. “Our investigations indicate deeper links which are being probed and we cannot reveal all information at this stage.”
Tourism minister C T Ravi said that the government would come down hard on those dealing in illegal drugs. “The drug mafia is trying to influence the investigation but our government will not buckle and all those involved will be brought to book.”