Bollywood actor Ananya Panday was questioned for over two hours by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday, and sources said that the central agency quizzed her on her WhatsApp chats with Shah Rukh Khan‘s son Aryan Khan who is currently lodged in Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail after his arrest in the drugs-on-cruise case.
Ananya’s father Chunky Panday accompanied her to the NCB office located at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai, where they reached at around 4 pm. There was heavy deployment of police outside the NCB office and a large number of media persons were also present. A stricken-looking Ananya, her father’s arm protectively around her shoulder, left a little after 6 pm.
“Ananya was asked about her long association and friendship with Aryan Khan. She was also quizzed about the code words used in the chats,” a source told CNN-News`18.
The NCB, which is probing the cruise drugs seizure case, has claimed that Aryan’s WhatsApp chats include conversations with an international drug peddler and that he is part of a huge drug-related conspiracy. The agency has also alleged SRK’s son used code words for drugs in the chats.
An NCB team had visited Ananya’s residence in Bandra Thursday morning and summoned her to record her statement later. The 22-year-old actor, who has worked in movies like Karan Johar’s Student of The Year 2 and Pati Patni aur Woh, has been called for questioning again on Friday; she been asked to appear before the NCB at 11 am.
The NCB has also seized some electronic gadgets from Ananya, including her phone and laptop which will be examined, the source said.
Ananya’s name cropped up in the case after certain WhatsApp chats between her and Aryan Khan were allegedly found in the latter’s mobile phone, the sources said.
The NCB officials, however, are yet to clarify her role, if any, in the case.
In fact, an officer, part of the team that visited the 22-year-old actor’s home, told the media gathered there that the summons was only part of a procedure. “Ye investigation hai aur ismein zaroori nahi hai ki jinko bulaaya jaata hai woh culprit ho (Just because someone has been called for questioning, doesn’t mean that they are guilty),” the officer said.
Aryan Khan was arrested with a few others on October 3 after the NCB raided a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast and claimed to have seized drugs, including charas. An NCB team visited Shah Rukh Khan’s residence ‘Mannat’ in suburban Bandra this afternoon for seeking from him certain material related to the investigation into the case, an official said.
On Thursday morning, Shah Rukh Khan met his son Aryan Khan at the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai where the latter has been lodged following his arrest in the case.
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