Hyderabad: The Special Investigation Team of the prohibition and excise department grilled film director Puri Jagannadh, followed by the National Control Bureau for about 10 hours on Wednesday.
His blood and hair samples were collected by a doctor from the Osmania General Hospital to test for consumption of drugs. The hair samples were taken as an additional precaution.
Sources said the director had given his consent for the samples to be collected. The samples are being sent to the TS Forensic Science Laboratory.
Excise sleuths said even if drug samples cannot be detected due to detoxification, there was a possibility of getting traces from the hair samples.
Excise sleuths said Jagannadh had cooperated with the investigation and they are working on further clues.
After a break for lunch, the SIT asked Jagannadh a series of questions related to his replies. Puri denied consuming drugs; officials suspect his role in supplying drugs to film stars like Charmme, Mumaith Khan and Subbaraju.
When officials announced that their interrogation was complete, officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau visited Abkari Bhavan at around 6 pm and questioned the director.
Jagannath came to Abkari Bhavan at about 10.30 am along with his advocate, younger brother Sairam Shankar and son Aakash. The SIT staff took Jagannath to the fifth floor of the building where its office is located, where the setting was described as “friendly.” For about two hours, the SIT asked him about his life and his film career before the intensive questioning began.
Starting at 11.16 pm. Puri Jagannath put out a series of messages on Twitter: “I visited SIT office today. SIT officials asked me several questions regarding the allegations against me. I have told them clearly that I don’t know about Calvin and I have no links with Calvin gang. I will go again if they call me. I am ready to cooperate with the investigation.”
He said, “I am a responsible person. I will not do anything illegal. Be it drugs or any other thing. Today I have great respect for police department and I am positive about them. I have made lot of films on the police. I also made a film titled Ism on journalists. But I am pained with media. I have lot friends in TV channels. We meet and we drink coffee. They are friendly. But when times come they have shown lot of half-an-hour programmes. They destroyed lives. My family members are weeping So many film families are same. I am pained with the media. We will meet again. Let SIT office decide on the allegations.”
