NCB questions Deepika Padukone for five hours

Actress Deepika Padukone was on Saturday questioned here for five hours by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) probing the alleged Bollywood-drug nexus linked to film star Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, an official said.

Padukone was confronted with her manager Karishma Prakash during questioning, sources said.

Prakash's WhatsApp chats, including purported conversations about drugs with one 'D', are on the radar of the anti-drugs agency, sources had said.

Padukone, who reached the NCB guest house in Colaba in south Mumbai around 9.50 am, left around 3:50 pm, a police official deployed outside the guest house said.

After questioning, both Padukone and Praksh were allowed to go home around 3.40 pm, NCB sources said.

Prakash first came out of the guest house, followed by Padukone.

They left in their cars separately, the police official said.

Media personnel were present in large numbers outside the barricaded area near the guest house.

There were reports that Padukone's husband and actor Ranveer Singh had asked the NCB if he could also remain present during her questioning. However, the NCB had on Friday clarified that it did not receive any such request.

The NCB is also questioning actresses Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan at its office separately in connection with the alleged drug nexus.

The federal agency had arrested actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, and some suspected drug peddlers, earlier.

Rajput (34) was found hanging in his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14.