At a time when India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is actively investigating a drugs nexus in Bollywood, actor Raveena Tandon welcomed a “clean up” of the industry as it would help future generations.
The 45-year-old Bollywood star and judge on the popular ‘Nach Baliye’ dance show in India took to Twitter and called for all the dealers and suppliers to be punished.
She said: "It was high time for clean up to happen. Very welcome! Will help our young/future generations.
“Start from here, surely, proceed to all sectors. Uproot it from its core. Punish the guilty, users, the dealers/suppliers. The profiting Big Guys on the take, who give it a blind eye and ruin people."
Tandon’s intervention came as another actress, Dia Mirza, sought to clarify that she has never procured or consumed any narcotic or contraband substance in any form in her life.
"I would like to strongly refute and categorically deny this news as being false, baseless and with mala fide intentions. Such frivolous reporting has a direct impact on my reputation being besmirched and is causing damage to my career which I have painstakingly built with years of hard work," the 38-year-old actor wrote on her social media channels.
"I have never procured or consumed any narcotic or contraband substances of any form in my life. I intend to pursue the full extent of legal remedies available to me as a law abiding citizen of India. Thanks to my supporters for standing by me," she said.
Some media reports had alleged the 'Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein' actor's involvement in the murky drugs row that has engulfed the Indian film industry in recent weeks.
The NCB, which is probing a possible drugs angle to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, has so far called in Bollywood talent agency KWAN Agency's CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar, Head Talent Manager Jaya Saha, and another employee Karishma, handles Bollywood star Deepika Padukone's account, for questioning. The NCB has also summoned Shruti Modi, former business manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, to be questioned as part on its ongoing probe.
Previously, the bureau had detained five people in connection with three separate drug busts, one of which is linked with the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, an NCB official said this week.
(ANI)