Kannada actor-couple Diganth, Aindrita depose before CCB in drug case
Kannada film actors Diganth Manchale and Aindrita Ray on Wednesday appeared before the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in connection with the drug case. The CCB, which is probing the drug abuse in the Kannada film industry, had issued notice to the actor-couple on Tuesday.
In a tweet, the couple had said, "We have received a telephonic notice from the Central Crime Branch for an ongoing enquiry at 11 am tomorrow (Wednesday). We will be present and fully cooperate with the CCB."
The development comes a day after the police raided the lavish resort-bungalow of Aditya Alva, son of former minister late Jeevaraj Alva, in the city. The CCB has already arrested actresses Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani along with seven others while it is on the lookout for at least seven more in this connection.
As Ray's name cropped up in the ongoing drugs case, a the media ran a video clip that had surfaced on social media in which she was shown inviting people to Ballyas Casino for their special Eid bash, which she was going to attend as a special guest.
After the video surfaced, she issued a clarification on news channels that this was merely a video she had made at the behest of the marketing team of her Hindi movie and that she had no connection with anyone running the casino.
She also claimed that along with her co-stars she had gone to a casino in the past and it was not a wrong thing to do. "There are several other actors who also went to casinos on invitation for publicity purposes but I have been picked out and the video clip was blown out of proportion," the actress asserted.
Diganth is best known for his performance as "Doodhpeda" - a super hit Kannada movie released in 2008. His performances for the films such as Pancharangi (2010), Lifeu Ishtene (2011) and Parijatha (2012) earned him fame and pushed him to the top league of actors in Kannada cinema.
Whereas Aindrita Ray made her acting debut in 2007, starring in Meravanige and went on to appear in several commercially successful films, establishing herself as a leading contemporary actress of Kannada cinema. She is perhaps well known for her critically acclaimed performance as Devika, a mentally challenged girl, in 'Manasaare'. The couple tied the knot in 2018.
-With IANS inputs
