Drug case: NCB may summon Deepika if needed; Jaya Saha quizzed
Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), probing the alleged Bollywood-drug nexus, might summon actress Deepika Padukone if needed, while it again questioned actor Sushant Singh Rajput's talent manager Jaya Saha on Tuesday, officials said.
NCB sources said some WhatsApp conversations purportedly discussing drugs are on the radar of the agency.
Some of these chats were purportedly between Padukone's manager Karishma Prakash and one "D", they said.
An official said the NCB might also summon actors Rakul Preet Singh and Sara Ali Khan, and designer Simone Khambatta this week.
The central anti-drugs agency has already summoned Karishma Prakash and KWAN talent management agency's CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar, but the former could not appear before the agency on Tuesday due to ill-health.
"The NCB will first question Karishma Prakash and might summon actor Deepika Padukone if needed," the official said.
During the NCB's investigation into the drugs angle in Rajput's death case, a wider drug nexus in Bollywood surfaced.
Meanwhile, Rajput's talent manager Jaya Saha was questioned by the NCB for the second consecutive day on Tuesday and has been called again on Wednesday, another official said.
She was quizzed by the NCB in connection with alleged Bollywood-drugs nexus and later allowed to go home, he said.
Padukone's manager Prakash, who was summoned to join the investigation, did not appear before the NCB on Tuesday due to ill-health, the official said.
Prakash has been exempted from appearance before the anti-drug agency till Friday, he said.
Rajputs former manager Shruti Modi will be called for questioning on Thursday, the official said.
The drug law enforcement agency has so far arrested more than 12 people, including Rajput's girlfriend and actress Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik, in connection with its probe linked to the case of the actor's death.
Rajput (34) was found hanging at his home in suburban Bandra on June 14.
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Like Rohit and Virat, Sanju can''t be replaced: Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag
Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag on Thursday said Sanju Samson's void cannot be filled in his side, likening the challenge to replacing stalwarts like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli.
Sanju, who led the Royals from 2021 to 2025, was traded to Chennai Super Kings in a pre-season move, with Ravindra Jadeja coming in as part of the deal.
"If you talk about Sanju bhaiya, we never think about replacing the kind of player he is," Parag told reporters in a pre-season press conference here.
"We can perhaps look for someone with a similar skillset or have someone bat in his position...
"It’s like there is no replacement for Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma... In the same way, there is no replacement for Sanju bhaiya because he is such a good player,” Parag said.
Having represented the franchise for 11 years across two stints, Sanju was RR's most successful captain and leading run-scorer, having guided them to the IPL 2022 final and the playoffs in 2024.
His stature has only grown manifold following a stellar T20 World Cup campaign, where he struck three successive match-defining half-centuries to power India to a historic treble and title defence.
India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final with Sanju being adjudged the Player-of-the-Tournament.
Rajasthan Royals had a forgettable last season, enduring 10 defeats to finish ninth in the 10=team standings.
Parag, who has been picked as the captain following Sanju's exit, said RR lost far too many close matches last year and the 2008 winners need better strategy and planning.
“This year, the focus is to plan better and finish games, which we couldn’t do in the previous edition," he said.
"We need to plan well. Last year, there were about 5-6 games which we lost in the last over or even on the last ball. Had we been able to convert those, or had we calculated better, this question (if RR would try anything new) would not have been asked because we would have qualified (for knockouts) by winning those matches," he said.
"I think that in every T20 game, there are 3-4 decisions that you have to make which change the course of the game. If we take those small decisions with strategy and planning, this year will be different," Parag added.
He further expressed his gratitude to the franchise for keeping their faith in him despite several seasons of struggle.
"I was here when I was just 17 and I have seen all the ups and downs, though more downs than ups till now. I want to thank Rajasthan Royals for supporting me and understanding the cricketer I am,” Parag said.
Sangakkara backs Parag -- the skipper
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The Royals’ director of cricket and head coach Kumar Sangakkara said he has always “admired” Parag as a cricketer and he was picked as a skipper after a robust round of interviews with other candidates.
"It was about trying to find the best person who can lead the Rajasthan Royals. I (first) met Riyan when he was a teenager and have admired him as a cricketer. He's right (when he says) he has gone through a lot and seen a lot," Sangakkara said.
"The most striking thing for me was (to see) how reflective and mature he has become."
“To select a captain once Sanju decided to leave, it was very important that we explore all options. We had shortlisted some candidates that we had a very strict interview process for. Riyan knows the questions were hard. At the end of the day Manoj (Badale) and I sat down and it was evident that the right choice to lead Rajasthan was Riyan,” Sangakkara added.
