Actor Arjun Rampal’s sister, Komal Rampal, arrived at the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office on Monday morning for questioning in an ongoing investigation into the film industry’s alleged links with drug peddlers and cartels. The actor and his partner, Gabriella Demetriades, have already been questioned in the case.
Komal Rampal was summoned after her brother reportedly told the NCB that one of the two banned medicines found in his home during a raid in November was for his sister. The Central agency had issued the summons days after Komal Rampal, an air hostess and a former Miss India contestant, did not appear before the NCB, citing ill health. Komal’s lawyer was also present at the NCB office and she met the lawyer briefly before reaching the NCB office.
This is the second time Komal has been called for questioning by NCB. Earlier she was summoned on 6 January when she cited some personal reasons for not being able to join the investigation on that day. Sources said that NCB officials had found certain discrepancies in a prescription of a tablet Clonazepam submitted by Arjun Rampal, and they wanted to look into it further. Two such scheduled drugs under NDPS were found at Rampal’s residence by NCB officials.
Arjun Rampal had told NCB officials that the medicines found at his home belonged to his sister. The drug named Clonazepam was reportedly informed by Arjun Rampal saying it belonged to his sister and he had produced a prescription for the same from a Delhi-based doctor.
The NCB started the Bollywood drug probe after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, whose body was found at his Mumbai residence in June. The NCB claims to have unearthed a close nexus between illegal drug consumption and the film industry.
On 8 September, investigators had arrested actress Rhea Chakraborty in a drug case related to Rajput’s death, and also questioned Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan in the same matter. The agency had described Chakraborty as an “active member of a drug syndicate”. She was granted bail on 7 October. The NCB had on 8 November arrested Shabana Saeed, the wife of Bollywood producer Firoz Nadiadwala, after investigators seized 10 gm of marijuana during a raid at her Juhu residence in Mumbai.
On 26 October, the agency had arrested five people in Mumbai, including television actor Preetika Chauhan. In November, comedian Bharti Singh and her husband were also arrested. They were later granted bail on 24 November.