Arjun Rampal questioned by NCB, says he has `nothing to do with drugs'

Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal was questioned by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a drug- related probe for around seven hours on Friday. The NCB, which questioned Rampal's partner Gabriella Demetriades on Wednesday and Thursday, has also arrested his friend Paul Bartel, an official of the central agency said.

"I have nothing to do with drugs. I have prescription for the medicine which was found at my residence and the prescription has been handed over to NCB officials," Rampal told reporters. "I am cooperating with the investigation and the NCB officials are doing a good job," the actor-turned-model said as he emerged out of the NCB's zonal office in south Mumbai around 6 pm.

He had reached the office in Ballard Estate at 11 in the morning. Rampal, 47, had been summoned in the case related to alleged drug use in the Hindi film industry, the NCB official said.

His friend Paul Bartel, a foreign national, was arrested on Thursday following interrogation, the official added. The NCB summoned Rampal and his partner Demetriades after conducting a search at the actor's residence in suburban Bandra on Monday.

The agency had seized electronic gadgets such as laptops, mobile phones and tablets during the search and also questioned Rampal's driver. A day before the search at Rampal's house, the NCB arrested Bollywood producer Firoz Nadiadwala's wife after ganja (cannabis) was allegedly found at their residence in suburban Juhu.

She was later granted bail by a city court. The NCB launched the probe into alleged drug use in Bollywood after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June.

It arrested Rajput's girlfriend, actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and a few others under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Rhea and some other accused are currently out on bail.

PTI DC RSY KRK KRK KRK.