‘Deepika Padukone was questioned about some words in chats’

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone arrived at the NCB office to join the probe in the drugs case. (PTI)

NCB officials said they confronted actor Deepika Padukone about some words in WhatsApp chats dating back to 2017 retrieved from her phone and would need to check her phone further to see if her explanations were satisfactory.

The chats were found by NCB after they retrieved data from the mobile phone of Jaya Saha, manager of Sushant Singh Rajput, as part of its probe into the first FIR registered by it. No one has been arrested in the first FIR yet.

NCB has taken the mobile phones of Deepika, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor among others to verify the statements they gave to the agency when they were called in for questioning on Saturday. While Deepika was only questioned in the first FIR, Sara and Shraddha were questioned in both FIRs.

NCB officials said they were “not completely satisfied” by the explanations of the superstar. “We will be checking content on Deepika’s phone to find out if she used these words in the same context,” an NCB official said.

Meanwhile, days after Rajput’s family lawyer expressed concern that the probe into the possible cause of their son’s death by CBI was overshadowed by the NCB drug probe, CBI issued a statement that the investigation was ongoing. CBI in a statement said, “CBI is conducting a professional investigation related to the death of Rajput in which all aspects are being looked at and no aspect has been ruled out as of date. Investigation is continuing.”

Vikas Singh, lawyer of Rajput’s family, had earlier said all attention was being diverted towards the drugs case and they were helpless as they don’t know in which direction the case was going.

Apart from CBI, ED too registered an FIR against Rhea and her family members in connection with a complaint about funds being transferred from Rajput’s accounts to unidentified accounts. ED officials had said so far they haven’t found any suspicious transactions from his account.

Meanwhile, NCB issued a detailed statement refuting allegations made by Kshitij Prasad that he was forced by investigators to implicate filmmaker Karan Johar.

NCB said it was “very unambiguously” stating that “the above news item in circulation is mischievous and completely untrue. When the involvement of Kshitij in offences under NDPS Act was revealed, he was placed under arrest after following due process of law. His lawyer and his family (mother) were informed as per procedure. He was also allowed to meet his father-in-law and his wife at Mumbai Zonal Unit office.” NCB further alleged Prasad was not cooperating with the investigation.

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