Telugu filmmaker Puri Jagannadh, actor-producer Charmme Kaur, actors Ravi Teja, Tarun, and others, have all received a clean chit in the ongoing Tollywood drugs case.
On Saturday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Excise Department, said its forensic analysis found that none of them had consumed drugs or any other prohibited narcotic substance, The New Indian Express reported. The SIT made the determination based on hair and nail samples collected during the questioning of the celebrities.
These same celebrities are also part of the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation into the money laundering angle of the same case.
The case dates back to July 2017, when the Telangana Excise and Prohibition Department had seized drugs worth Rs 30 lakh and registered 12 cases. Huge quantities of LSD and cocaine were seized from 13 people, and it is said that the banned substances were distributed at rave parties in Goa and Hyderabad, as well as at pubs and educational institutions.
Later, the ED began looking into the money laundering angle of the drug racket.
The ED issued notices to 12 people from the Telugu film industry under the Money Laundering Act, including actors Rana Daggubati, Rakul Preet Singh, Teja, Mumaith Khan, Kaur, and Navdeep. The individuals were summoned for questioning on different dates. The ED began its inquiry on August 31 with Jagannadh, the Telugu film director, screenwriter and producer, followed by Kaur on September 2 and Teja on September 9.
Recommended
The New Indian Express report states that the celebrities involved in the case are expected to get some relief from the ongoing ED investigation in the money laundering case in light of the recent development.
According to NDTV, 30 people have been arrested and 62 questioned by the state’s excise department, out of which 11 are related to the film industry. So far, all the celebrities who have been served notices by the ED have denied any role in the case, and the excise department has not filed any chargesheet against them.