Ragini Dwivedi gets CCB notice, actress says she cannot appear

Bengaluru: The anti-narcotics wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) here has served notice on actress Ragini Dwivedi to appear at the CCB headquarters in Chamarajpet for questioning relating to drugs scandal.

The CCB notice to Ragini comes in the wake of film director Indrajit Lankesh's explosive statement that several celebrities linked to the Kannada film industry are in the grip of drugs and volunteered to expose the celebrities who are involved in this. He deposed before the CCB and claimed to have revealed the names of at least 15 actors, directors and musicians involved in the drugs racket.

While the CCB served notices to Ragini to appear before it for questioning, sources say the actress has already given the slip. The actress is reportedly missing and has not been traceable.

It learnt that Ragini's friend Ravishankar, an RTO official at Jayanagar, has been arrested. The notice to Ragini follows the arrest and questioning of Ravishankar

The actress took to her Twitter handle on Thursday stating that she will cooperate with the investigating authorities. However, she cannot appear before the CCB at such a short notice and that her lawyers will present themselves before the CCB officials.

"I am grateful for all the concern expressed by the public about a notice I received http://yesterday.As I received it at a very short notice,I was unable to appear today before the CCB police.However out of respect for the process of the law.

My advocates have presented themselves before the police, have explained my difficulty in not being able to appear today and have sought time. I am committed to appear on Monday morning before the police.

I consider it my duty as a citizen to humbly participate in any questioning that the police might have I have nothing to hide and have no connection with any unlawful activity which is being probed by the CCB police. Once again I express my gratitude to concern," she Tweeted on Thursday.

Earlier, she tweeted that a section of media was "dragging known personalities in the issue only alerts the racket to go into hiding nothing more. to see our own state media who we consider one big family also paying so much head to this and targeting sandalwood and people in the public eye based on rumours focus."

She also tweeted that "drugs as an issue should be resolved at the earliest As it's a plague to our society . As the dealers have been now captured congratulating the narcotics to have done this work and requesting them to get to the end of this circuit for the good of all."

On August 21, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested drug peddlers, who have been supplying drugs to celebs linked to the Kannada film industry.

Director Indrajit Lankesh, brother of Gauri Lankesh who was murdered in 2017, was asked to appear before the CCB where his statement was taken. He is said to have given a few names of people involved in the drug racket.

The Central Crime Branch, which questioned Indrajit Lankesh over the allegations he made in connection with drug abuse in the Kannada film industry, said no material or evidence was given to corroborate the claims.

On Wednesday, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce convened a meeting and said that the film body will take action against actors who are proven guilty. President of Film Chamber, Jairaj, said that no producer would hire actors who are involved in the racket.