Hyderabad, Sep 9 (IANS): Tollywood actor Ravi Teja and his driver on Thursday appeared earlier than the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in reference to a cash laundering probe linked to the 2017 drug case.
The favored actor reached the ED workplace right here round 10 a.m. in response to the summons issued by the company.
Ravi Teja’s driver and aide Srinivas additionally appeared earlier than the ED officers. Each are more likely to be questioned about their monetary transactions.
Key accused Calvin Mascarenhas can also be more likely to be referred to as for questioning once more. His assertion was recorded on Tuesday and the celebrities are being quizzed on the premise of his assertion.
Ravi Teja is the sixth Tollywood persona to seem earlier than ED. Director Puri Jagannadh and actors Charmee Kaur, Rakul Preet Singh, Nandu and Daggubati Rana had been questioned since August 31.
Rana was questioned for practically seven hours on Wednesday as a part of the probe into suspected hyperlinks of some celebrities with the accused concerned within the case.
The ED had final month issued notices to 10 individuals related to Tollywood and two others together with a non-public membership supervisor as a part of a cash laundering probe linked to the case associated to the smuggling of ‘Class A’ narcotic substances, together with LSD and MDMA.
Actors Navdeep, Mumaith Khan and Tanish have additionally been summoned by the ED in connection the medication racket which was busted with the arrest of drug peddlers in 2017.
Rana and Rakul Preet didn’t determine within the listing of Tollywood celebrities questioned by the Particular Investigation Workforce (SIT) of Telangana’s prohibition and excise division in 2017.
Nevertheless, Rakul Preet was questioned by the Narcotics Management Bureau, Mumbai, final 12 months in an alleged medication nexus in Bollywood.
The medication racket was busted on July 2, 2017 when customs officers arrested Calvin Mascarenhas, a musician, and two others and seized medication value Rs 30 lakh from their possession.
They’d reportedly instructed the investigators that they’re supplying medication to movie celebrities, software program engineers, and even college students of some company colleges. Cellular numbers of some Tollywood celebrities had been allegedly discovered of their contact lists.
The excise division had constituted SIT for a complete probe. A complete of 12 instances had been registered, 30 folks had been arrested whereas 62 people together with 11 folks related with Tollywood had been examined by the SIT underneath part 67 of the Narcotic Medication and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and part 161 of Felony Process Code.
An American, a South African and a Netherlands nationwide had been amongst these arrested.
The SIT had collected blood, hair, nail and different samples from a few of those that appeared earlier than it for query and despatched them for evaluation.
The SIT filed cost sheet in eight out of 12 instances. It, nevertheless, gave clear chit to the movie personalities who had been questioned as a part of the investigation.
