MUMBAI: In a shocking development, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) late on Saturday arrested television comedian Bharti Singh for alleged possession and consumption of a banned drug (marijuana), after her homes were raided this morning, a top official said.
"We have arrested Bharti Singh and found a little over 86 gms of marijuana from her. Her husband Harsh Limbachiya is currently being interrogated by NCB. We shall update on further developments later," NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede told IANS.
Around 86.50 gms of banned drug (Marijuana), which is said to be of commercial quantity, was recovered from their home in the raids and the duo has reportedly even confessed to consuming drugs.
The NCB zeroed in the couple after a couple of drug peddlers, arrested in an ongoing action late on Friday, revealed the names of Bharti and Harsh.
Armed with the information, the NCB swooped on their homes in at least two locations in suburban Andheri's Lokhandwala Complex and Versova and thoroughly search the premises to find the banned dope (Marijuana) from there.
Thereafter, they were detained and summoned for further investigations to the NCB office where they reached there in separate vehicles.
On reaching the NCB offices this afternoon, Bharti Singh briefly told mediapersons that they had been "called for some questioning".
After sustained interrogation of nearly five hours, late this evening, Bharti was placed under arrest, while hubby Harsh was still being grilled by the sleuths.
Bharti shall be produced before a designation court on Sunday, though it is not clear whether it will be a physical appearance or via videoconference.
Since September till date, the NCB has arrested over 20 persons including Bollywood actress Rhea Chakbraborty, now on bail, her brother Showik and other film industry related persons, drug financers, suppliers or peddlers, including some foreigners.
As the NCB claims to have unearthed a close link between drugs mafia and the glamour industry, it has questioned several prominent film personalities.
They included actresses Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, model-cum-actor Arjun Rampal, and filmmaker Firoz Nadiadwala, whose wife Shabana was arrested and got bail after some quantities of 'commercial quantity' drugs were found at her residence.
The NCB investigations are an off-shoot of the probe into the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Bandra home on June 14 which sparked off a huge political controversy.