Bollywood drugs probe: Designer Simone Khambata reaches NCB guest house in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Fashion designer Simone Khambata reached the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) guest house here on Thursday morning to appear before the agency in connection with its probe into an alleged Bollywood-drugs nexus, an official said.

Khambata's name cropped up in the questioning of some persons during the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) probe into the matter. She reached the NCB guest house at Colaba in south Mumbai around 9:30 am, the official said.

Besides Khambata, the NCB has also summoned actor Rakul Preet Singh and talent manager Shruti Modi to appear before the probe team on Thursday, he said. Rakul Preet Singh in her official statement she has "not received the alleged summons either at Mumbai or Hyderabad so far".

However, NCB officials said the actress has been issued summons. "She was contacted through various platforms, including a phone number which is available with the agency. But, there has been no response from her so far," the official said.

Some WhatsApp chats of the persons who were questioned earlier by the NCB suggested discussion about drugs, he said.

The NCB, which began the probe after a drugs angle came to light in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput's alleged suicide, has now widened its investigation and asked some 'A-list' celebrities of the Mumbai film industry, to "join the probe", an official said on Wednesday.

Earlier, NCB sources had claimed that there was a "reference" to Rakul Preet Singh and Sara Ali Khan in the statement of Rajput's girlfriend and actor Rhea Chakraborty, who has been arrested in the case. The NCB on Wednesday summoned actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh, among others, for questioning.