The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana’s Excise Department probing the Hyderabad drug racket, grilled actress Mumaith Khan on Thursday.
A four-member team of officials, including three women, began questioning the actress at Abkari Bhavan, the office of Prohibition and Excise Department, around 10 am and it was completed by 5 pm.
Known for her item numbers, she is the eighth Tollywood celebrity to be questioned by SIT. She is considered close to director Puri Jagannadh, who has already been quizzed in the case.
She reached Hyderabad from Mumbai after she got permission to leave ‘Big Boss’ for one day. According to the rules of the television reality show, no participant is allowed to leave the house till he or she is eliminated from the contest.
She was quizzed on whether she takes drugs and whether she has any links with Calvin Mascrenhas, the alleged kingpin of the racket.
Mumaith reportedly volunteered to give samples of body fluid, hair and nails but SIT officials said that it was not required.
Telugu actor Ravi Teja will appear before SIT on Friday in relation to the case.
The investigating officers had on Wednesday grilled actress Charmme Kaur for over six hours. SIT said she refused to give her consent for drawing the samples of body fluid, hair and nails and thus the same were not collected.
The two actresses are among 12 personalities from Tollywood summoned by the SIT for questioning in the drug racket which was busted here in July.
The SIT has arrested 20 accused in the racket, which created a sensation following startling revelation that the peddlers sold drugs to students of several colleges and schools in Hyderabad, Tollywood celebrities and techies.
The case took a new turn on Wednesday as SIT arrested a Dutch national Mike Kamminga in the case.
(Story has been edited for length.)
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