The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has strongly refuted allegations levelled by Kshitij Prasad, a former employee of Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, that he had been coerced and blackmailed during questioning.Reacting to media reports over the ill-treatment of Prasad by the NCB, the agency termed these as baseless. "The news item alleges humiliation and torment of Kshitij R Prasad at the hands of officers of Mumbai Zonal Unit, NCB. It is very unambiguously stated here that the above news item in circulation is mischievous and completely untrue," a statement by the agency read.
The NCB stated that the arrests were made "as some incriminating evidences were recovered from him". "His lawyer and his family (mother) were informed as per procedure. He was also allowed to meet his father-in-law and wife at office," the agency clarified.Further, the NCB stated that the court had observed in its order issued on Sunday that the accused was not subjected to physical ill-treatment.
The court observed: “From the submission of the accused, it is revealed that no physical ill-treatment was given to him during the course of his custody with the NCB authority. Furthermore, he has no complaint about the physical ill-treatment”.
The agency has initiated the process of scanning Prasad's phone, to probe his links.
The agency sources said that actor Deepika Padukone had, in her statement, claimed that she had been discussing cigarettes in code language and that 'maal' stood for a regular cigarette and 'hash' meant another kind.
