Kannada film actress, two others arrested in drug scandal

BENGALURU: Sleuths of the Central Crime Branch, probing an alleged drug peddling racket with Sandalwood (Kannada film industry) links, arrested actor Ragini Dwivedi on Friday evening. Two event managers were arrested earlier in the day.“We’re arresting Ragini in connection with the ongoing drug scandal. Since the matter is under investigation, we cannot reveal more,” JCP (crime) Sandeep Patil said.Ragini was arrested under Sections 21(b) and (c) and 22(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The sections prescribe punishment up to 20 years and a fine of up to Rs 2 lakh for contraventions like manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transport and use of manufactured drugs and psychotropic substances.Ragini, who was subjected to medical tests at Bowring Hospital and later produced before a court via video-conference, was remanded in police custody for three days.Police alleged the other two arrested men — event managers Viren Khanna and Rahul Tonse — were prominent drug peddlers.Tonse was arrested at the CCB office here where he had been brought for questioning. Two inspectors flew to Delhi on Friday morning and arrested Viren Khanna there. These three arrests take the total in the case to four. On Thursday, Ragini’s friend K Ravi Shankar, an RTO clerk, had been arrested.“This is a big network of drug peddling and consumption. There are people like Viren Khanna who organise high-end parties where drugs are consumed. Celebrities and others, like actress Ragini, go there and consume drugs. There are suppliers like Ravi Shankar and Rahul who supply drugs bought from other peddlers, mostly foreigners,” Patil said.