Hyderabad, (IANS)| With the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoning 10 Telugu film personalities, the drugs racket that rocked the film industry four years ago is again in the news. The ED on Wednesday issued notices to 10 people linked to Tollywood and two others, including a private club manager, as part of a money laundering probe related to a drugs racket.
The ED has asked actors Rakul Preet Singh, Rana Daggubati, Ravi Teja, Charmi Kaur, Navdeep, Mumaith Khan and director Puri Jagannadh to appear before them between August 31 and September 22. Those summoned include Tanish, Nandu, actor Ravi Teja’s driver Srinivas. The case has created a stir in Tollywood as two lead 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 film personalities are worried about their possible involvement in drugs and money laundering. However, an ED official clarified that for now he will be treated only as a witness.
Rakul Preet has been asked to appear on September 6 while Rana has been asked to appear on September 8. Both were not in the list of personalities questioned by the SIT earlier. The ED has asked Ravi Teja to appear on September 9 and Mumait Khan on September 15. Last month, a Hyderabad court had accepted the charge sheet 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 a musician Calvin Mascarenhas and two others and seized drugs worth Rs 30 lakh from their possession.
He had reportedly told investigators that he was supplying drugs to film personalities, software engineers and even students of some corporate schools. Mobile numbers of some Tollywood celebrities were reportedly found in their contact list. The Excise Department had constituted an SIT for a comprehensive investigation. A total of 12 cases were registered, 30 people were arrested, while 62 people, including 11 linked to Tollywood, were investigated by the SIT under Section 67 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The SIT had collected blood, hair, nails and other samples of some of those who appeared for questioning and sent them for analysis.
Actors Ravi Teja, Charmme Kaur, Mumaith Khan, well-known director Puri Jagannadh and young actors Tarun Kumar and P. Navdeep were among the stars questioned by the SIT. Cinematographer Shyam K. Naidu, actors Subbaraju, Tanish, Nandu and Ravi Teja’s driver Srinivas have also been questioned.