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Hyderaba: The investigations into the drug trafficking has taken a filmy twist on Monday with actress Charmee Kaur, one among the 12 film personalities served with notices by the SIT, moving the High Court questioning the procedure being adopted by the interrogators in the case.
Charmee, who was to appear before the SIT on July 26, in a surprise move filed a petition in the High Court questioning the veracity of the investigating authorities taking blood samples of those being interrogated in connection with the drug racket busted recently. In the petition, she alleged that the SIT was taking blood samples under the pretext of Article 20, sub-clause 3. The petition filed by her counsel Vishnuvardhan Reddy also wanted that the SIT should follow strictly as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court.
In the petition, the actress also wanted that women officers should interrogate women who are being questioned in the matter and that advocates representing them should be allowed to be present during the interrogation. The High Court is likely to take up the case on Tuesday. What has come as a big surprise was that while the artistes, who had appeared before the SIT earlier had cooperated and allowed samples of blood, hair and nails to be collected for sending them to the Forensic Laboratory to ascertain whether they used narcotic substances, Charmee seemed to have questioned the same by pleading protection of rights of the persons being questioned.
What is more, the actress who has earlier volunteered to appear before the SIT for questioning in the drug scandal, has taken a sudden “U” turn and contested the manner in which the investigation was being conducted. This is in spite of the fact that those questioned earlier had cooperated in this regard and also the assurance made by the film fraternity that there would be full cooperation in any manner to help the authorities in their efforts to check the vicious activities of the drug mafia that was busted on July 2.
The High Court admitted the petition for hearing andissued notices to Excise Commisskoner Chandravadan and Excise & Enforcement director Akun Sabarwal.
However, the sudden revolt of the actress in cooperating with the investigation authorities and questioning procedure being followed by moving the High Court also raises doubts about attempts being made to dilute the probe in the drug racket that has triggered off a sense of panic among the people.
In the meantime, the SIT on the fifth day of its interrogation of film personalities has grilled actor Navdeep in the issue to ascertain his links with the kingpin of the drug smafia Calvin Mascarenhas. Also another gang of drug peddlers was busted by the authorities today. A three-member gang of Nigerians was arrested in Naredmet under the limits of Rachakonda Police Commisionerate and 700 LSD strips and a cash of Rs.2.5 lakh were seized from their possession.
