Bengaluru drug case: CCB summons actors Akul Balaji, Santhosh Kumar and ex-MLA's son

Bengaluru: The Central Crime Branch investigating the drugs case has summoned two Kannada film actors Akul Balaji and Santhosh Kumar and a former MLAs son to appear for questioning.

"In the drug case at Cottonpet police station, during the investigation certain information was gathered, and it was felt necessary to inquire Akul Balaji, Santhosh Kumar and Yuvaraj R V," a CCB official said in a statement.

He added that notices have been issued to them to appear at CCB on Saturday at 10am.

Akul Balaji, who has acted in tele-serials and a few movies, said he has received the notice.

Yuvaraj is the son of former Congress MLA R V Devaraj.

The police have arrested 13 people including film actresses Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani, RTO clerk B K Ravishankar, Rahul Thonse and a Nigerian Simon in connection with the case.

They are charged with consuming and supplying drugs during rave parties through drug peddlers. At least seven others involved in the case are at large including former minister Late Jeevaraj Alvas son Aditya Alva, the police said.

On Wednesday, actor-couple Diganth Manchale and Aindrita Ray were questioned for four hours by the Central Crime Branch in connection with the case.

Later, Diganth had said the probe in the case was in progress and he and his wife were cooperating with the investigation.

"We will come (again to appear before CCB) if we are summoned," the actor said.

Diganth had made his debut with the Kannada film 'Miss California' in 2006 and acted in a number of movies.

Aindrita Ray started her career in Kannada film industry with the movie 'Meravanige'.

She is best known for her performance in the movie 'Manasaare,' in which she played the role of a mentally challenged girl.

'More arrests soon'

Police have so far arrested 13 people in connection with the drug peddling and substance abuse case and trap has been laid to nab others involved, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday.

Rejecting leader of the opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah's allegations that police were acting as "puppets" of the government, the minister, defending the investigation into the case, said officials have been given a free hand and were not functioning under any influence.

Bommai described the allegations as baseless.

"If he has any evidence, let him give it, we will get it investigated too," the minister said in a statement.

"If there was proper investigation into the 2018 drugs haul, when Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister, several main drug peddlers could have been arrested and things would have been under control," he said.

"..it is said that senior officials tied the hands of investigating offices then," Bommai said.

Siddaramaiah on Thursday had said that a judicial commission should be constituted to probe the drug peddling and substance abuse case, as he alleged that police are functioning like "puppets" in the hands of the government.

"It has been just two weeks since the current investigation into the drugs case began and so far 13 people have been arrested in two cases and the trap has been laid to nab others involved," Bommai said.

He said repeated suspicion regarding the investigation on which the government was transparent, reflects that there is a conspiracy to protect some one or mislead the investigation.

"Expressing suspicion about the police which is investigating the case, seems like helping those involved in drugs," he said.

The minister said every one should cooperate with the investigation. The government will continue the probe strictly and legitimately and the police will not lose morale from such statements, he added.