Karan Johar had earlier issued a public statement in connection with the video (File)
Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar has been asked to explain a widely-circulated video shot, at his home in July last year, during a party in which social media users alleged drugs were consumed, NCB sources said Thursday night. The video, which also shows several top stars, is being investigated as part of the anti-drugs agency's probe into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June.
In September Mr Johar issued a public statement in connection with that video, saying that reports of drug consumption at his party were "slanderous" and "malicious".
"These slanderous and malicious statements, news articles and news clippings have unnecessarily subjected me, my family, and my colleagues, and Dharma Productions, to hatred, contempt and ridicule," he said.
"I would like to unequivocally once again state that I do not consume narcotics and I do not promote or encourage consumption of any such substance," the director-producer added.
Mr Johar also said he did not personally know two people - Anubhav Chopra and Kshitij Prasad -being investigated, and dismissed as "baseless" media reports that described them as his "aides".
Mr Johar said Anubhav Chopra was not an employee of his company - Dharma Productions - although he had been associated with projects in an independent capacity from 2011 to 2013. He said Kshitij Prasad joined Dharmatic Entertainment, a company linked to Dharma Productions, in November 2019 as an on-contract Executive Producer for a project that did not materialise.
A number of people associated with the entertainment industry have been, or are being, investigated by the Narcotics Bureau, which claims a nexus between drug dealers and Bollywood.
Last week, agency sources said they had detained one of Mumbai's "biggest" drugs suppliers and recovered a list of his clients many of whom are Bollywood celebrities.
Since the probe started the NCB has questioned several prominent people, including Bollywood stars Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Rakulpreet Singh, Shraddha Kapoor and Arjun Rampal.
They have also arrested comedian Bharti Singh and her husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa over alleged possession and use of marijuana. Ms Singh and Mr Limbachiyaa were granted bail last week.
In September the agency also arrested actor Rhea Chakraborty (Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend) and her brother, Showik Chakraborty, who was released on bail earlier this month.
His sister had been released on bail in October.