ED summons Rakul Preet Singh, Ravi Teja and Rana Daggubati
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to top Telugu stars and director in a four-year-old drugs case. Involving trafficking and consumption of drugs, the case also has a money laundering angle, for which the agency has asked top stars like Rakul Preet Singh, Ravi Teja and Rana Daggubati to appear in front of their officials for questioning. For now, they are "witnesses."
'Pokiri' director Puri Jagannadh also called in by ED
Along with Singh, Teja and Daggubati, the Ministry of Finance-controlled organization has also issued summons to Charmee Kaur, Mumaith Khan, Navdeep, Tanish, Nandu and Tarun. Teja's driver and also another person, F Club GM, have been called. Famed Tollywood director Puri Jagannadh, known for delivering notable films such as Badri, Pokiri and Bbuddah... Hoga Terra Baap, has been asked to appear on August 31.
'Till we get evidence Tollywood celebrities will be considered witnesses'
Except for Puri, all the others have been called in from September 2 to 22. The agency will also question the excise department officials who were investigating the case. "We have called excise officials as witnesses. Likewise, till we get evidence Tollywood celebrities will be considered as witnesses. Their names have figured in the investigation," shared an official attached to the agency.
Singh will have to appear on September 6
The official added that the Telangana Excise and Prohibition department had booked "around 12 cases," and "11 chargesheets were filed. Mostly drug traffickers around eight persons were charge sheeted then. Most of them are lower-level drug traffickers." As per TOI, the De De Pyaar De actress will have to appear on September 6, while the Baahubali star will go two days later.
Excise department had collected samples from 62 people
Meanwhile, the Neninthe actor, known for his collaborations with Jagannadh, has been summoned on September 9, and Khan will be appearing before ED in November. The case dates back to 2017, when the excise department had collected hair and nail samples from 62 suspects in July. A month later, South African national Rafael Alex Victor was arrested for transporting cocaine from Mumbai to Hyderabad.
