Bengaluru businessman's allegations on drug case earns him defamation case

As allegations in the Bengaluru drug case are being probed by the CCB police, a businessman Prashanth Sambargi has been seen on multiple panel discussions on several Kannada news channels. From alleging that many in the film industry and politics have connections with drug mafia, Prashanth Sambargi has been on TV almost every day with his claims.

 

While many were wondering what really was his expertise to appear as a panelist, he made a claim on a channel that many politicians who had been to Sri Lanka, had actually gone to the island nation with big names from the Kannada film industry to attend rave parties. And immediately, Prasanth became a fixture on most channels, and has made several allegations about others in the past few days.

 

Prasanth's initial appearances on TV and his own social media posts were all vague allegations without taking names. He said that 'Sandalwood is floating in sin money', and that Bollywood and Sandalwaood were working together to further drug trade. He also said that a big name in Sandalwood made several stars addicted to gambling.

 

Prashanth’s direct allegation was against the former Karnataka minister and Congress leader Zameer Ahmed. Prashanth, a realtor-turned film distributor with several other business interests including a dubbing studio, alleged that Zameer was a close acquaintance of actor Sanjana Galrani, a claim that Zameer has vehemently denied. Prashanth claimed that Zameer and Sanjana, who is currently in custody, had attended an event in Colombo in a casino along with a common acquaintance, Shaikh Faizulla. ‘As of now, I am only alleging that Zameer Ahmed was present in the said casino in Colombo between June 8 and 10, 2019. Once he accepts it, I will reveal more incrimination information about him,’ Prashanth told TNM.

 

Taking note of his statements to the media, the CCB police served him with a notice, asking him to appear before them with any evidence he has in the case. Even as he was enroute to the CCB headquarters, Prashanth, speaking to news channels made claims of how he will present documents to the police which will decisively show the role of Zameer Ahmed, a claim that the CCB have not been enthusiastic about. 

 

‘I have given the police a video which supports my claims. I have also given them pictures of Zameer Ahmed with Shaikh Faizulla from as recently as four months ago, busting his lie that he has not met him for at least four years. Shaikh is being investigated by the police for his role in drug smuggling and is currently absconding,’ says Prashanth. But sources in the CCB police told TNM that the ‘evidence’ presented by Prashanth Sambargi was already in the public domain and added little value to the investigation. The police have asked him to collect tangible evidence that could possibly support his claims and appear before them again in a week’s time.

 

Meanwhile, Zameer Ahmed has filed a police complaint against Prashanth for making unsubstantiated allegations against him. The FIR filed by the police has IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy),463 and 465 (forgery), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) pressed against him.

 

Many in the film industry have accused Prashanth of using the ongoing controversy to settle scores with those in the fraternity by making defamatory allegations in the media. When TNM asked him about this, he claimed that he has already settled scores with them all through a legal recourse.

 

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