Despite the uproar surrounding Ananya Panday’s questioning by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), government sources said on Friday that there is no evidence of any ‘drug-related exchanges’ in her claimed WhatsApp discussions with Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s son.
According to the sources, the NCB has found “no signs or references” of any Marijuana (Ganja) or weed-related discussion in the two star kids WhatsApp contact that has been thoroughly inspected.
The NCB is more than likely questioning Ananya for her account of events as part of other leads it has gathered in the investigation, but officials refuse to elaborate.
The recent revelation follows unsubstantiated media claims reporting the appearance of at least three claimed WhatsApp messages between the two star-kids purportedly discussing drugs and other topics, which the NCB is currently investigating.
The NCB ‘visited’ Ananya Panday’s home and slapped her with a summons in an unexpected addition to the continuing investigations into the October 2 rave party raid aboard a cruise liner.
Ananya went to the NCB on Thursday, escorted by her father and renowned actor Chunky Panday, and was questioned for nearly two hours by a half-dozen authorities. She was summoned again today (October 22).
Khan and seven other people arrested on October 3 have their judicial custody extended until October 30 by a Special NDPS Court Judge V.V. Patil. The Bombay High Court will hear Khan’s bail application on October 26.
Shah Rukh Khan paid a high-profile visit to his son Aryan at the Arthur Road Central Jail on Thursday, spending a few minutes with him, while an NCB team later ‘visited’ his Bandra mansion, leaving tongues wagging.
This prompted the veteran Bollywood actress and TV hostess Simi Garewal, 75, to come out in indirect support of Aryan, Ananya and others vide a cryptic tweet: “In a population of 1,397,642,731 – they can only find these 6 or 8 young Bollywood stars to target for drugs??”
In a population of 1,397,642,731 – they can only find these 6 or 8 young Bollywood stars to target for drugs??
— Simi Garewal (@Simi_Garewal) October 21, 2021
Meanwhile, the NCB has not ruled out making more arrests as the cruise ship raid probe widens and progresses, despite having apprehended at least 20 persons so far.
(With IANS inputs)