Pramesh S jain
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Anti-Narcotics Wing in Bengaluru, on Tuesday morning, conducted a search operation at Sandalwood actor Sanjjanaa Galrani’s residence in the city in connection with the continuing high profile drug bust case.
Sanjjana Galrani is also known as Archana Galrani she changed her name after entering film industry as in her school records her name is Archana Galrani.
After Ragini Dwivedi,Sanjana is the second actress in CCB net.As she was very close to Rahul shetty. He gave certain information to CCB about Sanjjana.
Now,the CCB has stepped up is probe and search warrant has been issued to raid Viren Khanna’s house. It has been learnt that along with other things,one fake uniform found with belt,cap, shoes and no stars have been found at Khanna’s house.
Viren Khanna is the main person who organises big parties where drugs are consumed. He was arrested from Delhi and taken into four days of police custody.
Senior officer, told reporters said that actor Sanjjanaa’s house in Indiranagar was searched after information from one of the arrested accused,Rahul Tonse and Niyaz Ahmed was collected based on which she has been arrested and later in the evening we have produced her to 8th ACMM court and the court has remanded her to five days CCB police custody by the court.
Sanjjanaa and Rahul allegedly attended private parties at various casinos in neighbouring countries.Rahul Shetty has confessed to organising parties and also procuring drugs for these parties.We are searching her house currently.Another party planner from Mangaluru,Pruthvi Shetty was questioned and based on information by Pruthvi Shetty a search warrant was procured.
Pruthvi Shetty and Sanjjanaa used to organise private parties through Pruthvi’s event management company.The CCB is currently looking into Sanjjanaa’s financials.
During raid two mobile phones, laptop have been seized.The CCB officials have been seen taking materials required for a panchnama at around 8:30 am,even as questioning of Sanjjana continued.
Simultaneous raids were also being conducted at the residence of Viren Khanna, the main kingpin who is even a party planner, who was arrested on Friday.Viren was arrested by the CCB in New Delhi.
Sanjjanaa had spoken out on Monday regarding her name doing rounds in the drug case on news channels,claiming that she had nothing to do with the case.
Sanjjana Galrani is a multilingual actor who has acted in over 45 films,predominantly in Kannada and Telugu.
Currently Actress Ragini Dwivedi is in police custody for five days after she had faced arrest on Friday itself for reportedly failing to cooperate with the police.
The Kannada film circle had come under scrutiny for drug use after the Narcotics Control Bureau nabbed an international drug trafficking racket in multi-city raids earlier in August.As part of these raids,huge haul of drugs were recovered from upscale gated communities in Bengaluru.At that time,sleuths had arrested one Anikha D who confessed to the police of having multiple Kannada film celebrities as part of her customer base.
Sanjjanaa’s name had surfaced in this case with the arrest of one of her friends Rahul who used to visit countries neighbouring India and allegedly procure synthetic drugs.Police have said that it was through Sanjjanaa that he used to push these drugs into high profile parties.
Those arrested so far in the drug case include one government employee posted at the Regional Transport Office in Jayanagar,Ravi Shankar.Shankar is a friend of Ragini’s through which she used to procure drugs and further sell it to others, according to police.
Other than Ragini, police have arrested another high-profile party planner Viren Khanna,alleged drug peddlers Loum Pepper Samba Rahul Tonse,Prashanth Ranka and Niyaz in connection with the case.The police are still looking for Vivek Oberoi’s brother-in-law,Aditya Alva, who has been named as ‘accused number 6’ in the case.
The prime accused and Ragini Dwivedi’s long-time friend Shiva Prakash is yet to be arrested.Both Ragini and Viren are now in police custody.
The sandalwood industry drug scandal came to the limelight after Kannada filmmaker and late journalist Gauri Lankesh’s brother,Indrajit Lankesh made startling claims of knowing many secrets of the connection between drugs and Kannada film celebrities.
Soon after Indrajit Lankesh’s statement, the Bengaluru police came into action and the Central Crime Branch (CCB) wing of Bengaluru interrogated him for around 2 hours.The CCB officials stated that ‘Indrajit Lankesh mentioned some old incidents as well as revealed names of some people related to the industry.Although he has not yet presented any evidence,in this case, we are giving him time to present the evidence. The CCB will now investigate this matter in a legal manner.
Later speaking to the media,Lankesh said that he has given 15 names to the CCB which are directly or indirectly related to the drug scandal. Meanwhile,CCB has also stepped up its investigation in the sandalwood drug scandal.
Meanwhile,East division police teams based on credible information,conducted special operations and arrested 11 notorious narcotic drug peddlers and seized 90 lakh rupees worth narcotic substances.
As part of ongoing special anti NDPS drive,East division police teams under DCP East,Dr SD Sharanappa,busted Notorious international and Interstate linked
11 Drug Peddlers who used to purchase synthetic narcotic drugs on DARK NET and seized Rs.90 lakh worth 1100 LSD Strips,980,MDMA Ecstasy tablets,450 grams MDMA crystal,(MD meonw),25 grams of Brown Sugar, 500 ml Weed Oil and 48 Kg Ganja recovered from the drug peddlers.
Commissioner of police,Kamal Pant,said Splendid job by Bengaluru East Division police team for busting an international and inter-state drug peddlers gang.Narcotic substances worth Rs.90 lakh has been seized from the 11 arrested.A cash reward of Rs,50,000 has been given to the team.Keep up the good work.Well done said Kamal Pant.
In another massive drug haul,the Bengaluru South-East division police has seized drugs worth Rs.1 Crore and apprehended 20 interstate drug peddlers.10 cases have been filed and an investigation is underway.A cash reward of Rs.50,000, has been given to the team for their brilliant work said by Commissioner of police,Kamal Pant.
