.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
Sandalwood actor Ragini Dwivedi was taken into custody for questioning, on Friday, by a team of Central Crime Branch sleuths. She was taken in for questioning after the CCB sleuths conducted search and seizure operations at two of her apartments in Yelahanka from around 6am on Friday.
The CCB sleuths searched the premises of her flats, and also her Innova car. However, CCB sources said that they did not find any drugs in her possession. “We only found bottles of alcohol,” a CCB source said.
Ragini Dwivedi was taken in for questioning after her friend Ravi Shankar, an official at the State Regional Transport Office in Jayanagar, was arrested on Thursday after being questioned for six hours. CCB sources said that they obtained evidence that Ravi Shankar was peddling drugs. Joint Commissioner of Police and chief of CCB, Sandeep Patil, said that Ravi Shankar was remanded to five-day police custody. “We gathered evidence that he was peddling drugs to several actors. We are still investigating the matter,” he added.
CCB sources suspect that Ravi Shankar and actor Ragini allegedly held parties at her residence and allegedly consumed synthetic drugs including cocaine, LSD and MDMA. “Upon interrogation, we found that Ravi Shankar obtained drugs through a friend from a peddler named Prateek Shetty until 2018. Prateek Shetty was arrested in 2018 after we (CCB) conducted raids and seized 1.5 crore worth drugs including cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy),” the CCB source added.
CCB sources said that they are looking into Ravi Shankar’s finances as he allegedly lived a lavish lifestyle. “His earnings and spending habits don’t add up. We are looking into his financial information to find out more,” the CCB source added.
However, the actor vehemently denied that she consumed drugs and had said that she condemns drug use. She had also lauded the police for busting the drug racket and launching a probe into the issue.
Ragini Dwivedi was the first actor taken in for questioning in connection with the Sandalwood drug abuse case after filmmaker Indrajit Lankesh submitted to the CCB, a list of 15 names of actors, musicians and directors who allegedly consumed drugs. On Sunday last, Indrajit Lankesh submitted to the CCB a list of names, locations of alleged rave parties they had attended and their associates, who he claimed were procuring drugs for these parties.
The current drug bust started on August 20 when the Narcotics Control Bureau conducted raids in Navi Mumbai and seized over 3000 MDMA pills. Following this, the NCB arrested a couple- HA Choudhary and R Batharey. The NCB then raided the residences of three drug peddlers in Bengaluru.
On August 21, the NCB conducted raids at Nikoo Homes, an upscale gated community in Bengaluru and seized 96 pills of MDMA, weighing 40 gm, and 180 LSD blots. A drug peddler named Ravindra was arrested here. The second raid was conducted at Royal Suites Hotel service apartment in Kalyan Nagar, 145 MDMA pills weighing 60 gm were seized along with Rs 2,20, 500 cash. The sleuths arrested a man named Anoop Mohammed, who was allegedly in possession of these drugs.
Based on inputs from the arrested accused in these two raids, the NCB arrested Anikha D, who is the prime suspect in the case, from her home in Doddagubbi. The NCB seized 270 MDMA pills, weighing 111.6 gm, from her residence.
Following this, the NCB had said that actors and musicians from Karnataka were under its scanner in connection with the racket that was busted. The NCB's revelation led to the state government ordering an inquiry into the drug racket operating in Karnataka.
The Central Crime Branch has been charged with the probe. However, a few days ago, Kannada filmmaker Indrajit Lankesh told the media that several actors in Sandalwood consumed drugs at rave parties. On Saturday last, he was questioned by the CCB, where he is said to have submitted a list of names of actors, directors and musicians, who allegedly consume drugs. The CCB has asked Indrajit Lankesh to appear before the investigators on Thursday and has asked him to furnish proof of his allegations.