Deliberate Attempt To "Terrorise" Bollywood Through Anti-Drugs Agency: Congress

The Congress in Maharashtra has alleged that Bollywood is being deliberately "terrorised" through the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

In a statement, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant also questioned when will the NCB summon actor Kangana Ranaut "who consumed drugs and forced others to take them", for interrogation.

The federal agency has been probing a drug angle linked to actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

The NCB had earlier questioned some actors in connection with the probe, conducted raids on several occasions to unearth the alleged "Bollywood-drugs" nexus, and arrested many suspected drug peddlers.

"A deliberate attempt is being made to terrorise Bollywood through the Narcotics Control Bureau. In the last three to four months, the NCB interrogated several artists and people associated with them. Even filmmaker Karan Johar was served a notice over a party organised by him two years ago, when Devendra Fadnavis was chief minister of the state. When will the NCB call Kanagana Ranaut,who consumed drugs and forced others to take them, for interrogation? She has returned to Mumbai," Mr Sawant said.

He said a video clip of Ms Ranaut admitting to consumption of drugs has been in circulation on social media for the last several months.

"Her friend Adhyayan Suman had in an interview stated that Kangana forced him to take drugs. Both videos are in the public domain. Kangana has publicly stated that she had information about the Bollywood-drug nexus. Then why is the NCB not taking her seriously?" he asked.

Mr Sawant said the BJP should ask the actor to share the information with the NCB.

Alleging that the BJP has "maligned" the image of Maharashtra, Mr Sawant said the BJP owes an apology to the people.

The Congress and the NCP are part of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra.