Kannada film industry drug abuse: CCB tells actor Ragini to appear on Friday

The Central Crime Branch, which is probing the drug abuse in the Kannada film industry, has summoned film actress Ragini Dwivedi in this connection, police sources said.

The actress too confirmed in a series of tweets on Thursday that she has been summoned, but expressed her inability to depose immediately and has sought time till Monday morning to personally appear before the CCB officials.

“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,” she tweeted.

Dwivedi said her advocates have appeared on her behalf before the police and explained her inability to turn up. Her lawyers have sought time till Monday.

“As I received it (notice) at a very short notice, I was unable to appear today before the CCB police… I am committed to appear on Monday morning before the police,” she said in it.

Drug menace in the Kannada film industry has become a talking point, after the Narcotics Control Bureau of India arrested three persons in Bengaluru for allegedly storing and supplying drugs to singers and actors here.

Filmmaker and journalist Indrajit Lankesh had given his statement to the CCB about the drug abuse in the ‘Sandalwood’. He had also claimed that at least 15 people in the industry were involved in drug business.

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Dwivedi, whose family hails from Revari in Haryana, was born in Bengaluru. She made her debut in the Sandalwood with the movie ‘Veera Madakari’ in 2009. She shot to fame for her role in Kempe Gowda, Ragini IPS, Bangari and Shiva.