Tollywood director Puri Jagannadh on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of an investigation in a money-laundering probe linked to the drugs racket. The ED recently summoned 10 individuals connected to Tollywood and two others, including a private club manager, as part of the probe.
Actors Rakul Preet Singh, Rana Daggubati, Ravi Teja, Charmee Kaur, Navdeep, Mumaith Khan, and director Puri Jagannadh were asked to appear before ED between August 31 and September 22. Apart from them, Tanish, Nandu, and actor Ravi Teja’s driver Srinivas have also been summoned. Jagannadh appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad on Tuesday as part of the probe.
The central agency is questioning Tollywood personalities in connection with the drugs racket which had rocked the film industry four years ago. The questioning is likely to bring to light new facts about the drugs racket which was busted with the arrest of drug peddlers in 2017.
The development has raised eyebrows as two leading actors who were earlier not questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Telangana Excise and Prohibition Department two years ago, have also been summoned by the ED. Actress Rakul Preet has been asked to appear on September 6 while Rana Daggubati has been summoned on September 8.
The questioning by the ED will bring the focus back on the case, which was in cold storage and was even considered dead by many due to the clean chit given by SIT to the film personalities. Sections of Tollywood are worried that the development following the ED investigation could bring to the fore facts linking it to the probe faced by some Bollywood personalities.
However, an ED official has clarified that for now the personalities being summoned will be treated only as witnesses. The ED has asked Ravi Teja to appear on September 9 while Mumaith Khan has been summoned on September 15.
For the unversed, the drugs racket was busted on July 2, 2017. Customs officials had arrested Calvin Mascarenhas, a musician, along with two others and seized drugs worth Rs 30 lakh from their possession.
They had reportedly told the investigators that they are supplying drugs to a number of individuals including film celebrities, corporate scool students and software engineers. As per reports the digits of certain Tollywood celebrities were also allegedly found in their contact lists.
Cinematographer Shyam K Naidu, actors Subbaraju, Tanish, Nandu and Teja’s driver were also questioned in the probe. The SIT filed a charge sheet in eight out of 12 cases. However, it gave a clean chit to the film personalities questioned as part of the investigation.
