With the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoning 10 Telugu film personalities, the spotlight is back on the drugs racket which had rocked the film industry four years ago.
The ED on Wednesday issued notices to 10 persons connected to Tollywood and two others including a private club manager as part of a money laundering probe linked to the drugs racket.
The ED has asked actors Rakul Preet Singh, Rana Daggubati, Ravi Teja, Charmee Kaur, Navdeep, Mumaith Khan and director Puri Jagnnadh to appear before it between August 31 and September 22.
Tanish, Nandu, actor Ravi Teja’s driver Srinivas are also among those summoned.
The development has created ripples in Tollywood as the two leading actors who were not questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana excise and prohibition department two years ago, have also been summoned by the ED.
Tollywood circles are worried over the questioning of the film personalities about their possible involvement in drugs and money laundering. However, an ED official has clarified that for now they will be treated only as witnesses.
Rakul Preet has been asked to appear on September 6 while Rana has been summoned on September 8. Both were not in the list of celebrities questioned by SIT earlier.
The ED has asked Ravi Teja to appear on September 9 and Mumaith Khan has been summoned on September 15.
Last month, a court in Hyderabad had accepted the charge sheets filed by the Special Investigation Team of Telangana’s excise and prohibition department.
The drugs racket was busted on July 2, 2017 when customs officials arrested Calvin Mascarenhas, a musician, and two others and seized drugs worth Rs 30 lakh from their possession.
They had reportedly told the investigators that they are supplying drugs to film celebrities, software engineers, and even students of some corporate schools. Mobile numbers of some Tollywood celebrities were allegedly found in their contact lists.
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