In relation to the Sandalwood drugs case in Bengaluru being investigated by the Central Crime Bureau (CCB) police, a search warrant was issued on Tuesday and a search being conducted at the residence of former Karnataka minister late Jeevaraj Alva's son Aditya Alva. The residence, located near Hebbal, is called "House of Lives".
Notably, a city court had on Monday sent Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi and four other accused to 14-day judicial custody besides extending the police remand of another starlet Sanjjana Galrani by three days.
According to the Central Crime Bureau police, Ragini along with four other accused, including a Senegal national, Galrani`s friend Rahul Ranka and alleged drug supplier Loum Pepper Samba, were arrested around 11 days ago in connection with a drugs case.
CCB sources say that Aditya, who had a close connection with the accused, had taken part in about three parties. He has been named as an accused in a drug case registered in Cottonpet police station here. Alva had taken part in several parties where actress, Ragini, was also present. On getting this information, the police had begun an immediate search for him, however, failing to locate him as of yet. It is being believed that Alva changes his hideout location often and has switched off his mobile phone before going into hiding.
The police said that Galrani and high-profile party planner Viren Khanna will be in police custody for further questioning.
The CCB started probing the drug menace in the Kannada film industry after prominent producer-director Inderjit Lankesh had appeared before the crime branch and shared information about the alleged use of drugs in the Sandalwood, naming 15 people.
Based on the revelations by Lankesh, who is also credited with directing Deepika Padukone in her debut movie in Kannada, the CCB sleuths arrested Ravi, who led them to Dwivedi.
Galrani was questioned based on the interrogation of a person named Nayaz. Both the actors have been subjected to the dope test.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate is also investigating the hawala angle in the drug peddling and substance abuse case.
The scandal came to the fore amid allegations by noted Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut of drug use surrounding the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June.
A search is on for more people who are at large, the police said.
(With agency inputs)
