Six Major Developments In Drugs Scandal

The Tollywood drug scandal is taking sudden twists and turns. Here are the six major developments in the drug scandal that is rocking Tollywood.

* NAVADEEP'S INTERROGATION CONTINUES: Hero Pallapollu Navdeep on Monday appeared before a special investigation team (SIT) of the Excise and Enforcement which is investigating the case involving a high-end drugs racket, which was busted here earlier this month. He is the fifth person to be questioned in the case. Navadeep is among the 12 Tollywood personalities summoned for questioning in connection with the case. The SIT had issued notices to all of them under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after the racket, involved in supplying high-end drugs such as LSD and MDMA in and around Hyderabad, was busted on July 2.

* CALVIN INNOCENT, SAYS HIS LAWYEER: The Lawyer arguing for Calvin Mascarenhas — kingpin in drug scandal, on Monday said that his client Calvin has no role in the drugs scam. Speaking exclusively with Sakshi, the lawyer suggested to the SIT team to provide evidences to the court if they have any. "Calvin is innocent and there is no truth in the claims made by the police that Calvin was selling drugs. There's no evidence that my client was a drug peddler," he maintained. Taking exception to the process of the investigation that is so far being made into the case, the Calvin's counsel said his client was innocent.

* CHARMME APPROACHES COURT: Tollywood actress Charmme Kaur on Monday challenged the investigation in the Hyderabad High Court. The actress who was originally scheduled to appear for the investigation on July 21 after director Puri Jagannadh's questioning, has been summoned to attend on July 26 (Wednesday). In her petition challenging the SIT investigation, Charmme said extraction of blood, hair and nails samples from the suspects is a violation of Article 20(3) of the Constitution. She also asked the court to direct the SIT that her lawyer be allowed to be present during the interrogation.

* NO VICTIMISATION: Excise Commissioner RV Chandravadan refuted the allegations from some quarters that the film industry was being deliberately targeted. He said the case was being probed from all angles. He said the case was going as per the rules and refuted the allegations that the samples of blood, hair and nails of the persons being questioned were collected forcibly. He said those who have given the samples need not worry. In another media interaction, Excise Enforcement Director Akun Sabharwal said the interrogation was being videographed and the footage would be submitted to the court. Similarly, he categorically said that there was no forcible collection of samples.

* KAJAL AGGARWAL’S MANAGER HELD: Excise and Prohibition officials on Monday raided a house of top Tollywood actress Kajal Agarwal's manager in the city. Manager identified as Rony was arrested after the police seized ganja packets at his residence. The police suspected that Rony must have been into abuse of drugs for a quite sometime. He had been a manager for actress Lavanya Tripati and Rashi Khanna.

* KEEP A TAB ON NIGERIANS:Former minister and senior politician Danam Nagender said that the police were only targeting celebrities. Only the names of Tollywood personalities have been release. Why the other names are not being released, he asked. He said the authorities were not taking any action against the pubs that are running very late into the night. Despite complaints, no action was taken against the pub running on Road No 36 of Jubilee Hills, he said and asked the government to keep a tab on the Nigerian and Somalian population in the city.