The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has issued a notice to filmmaker Karan Johar over a video of a party that he had organized last year and which had gone viral on social media.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Manjinder Sirsa, who has lodged a complaint, said that celebrities used drugs in the said party, an allegation which Johar had refuted last year. Confirming the development, an official said that the notice was sent on Wednesday. “He need not be present physically but he has been asked to respond soon,” said an officer.

NCB statement read, “The notice has been given with respect to the video which was under circulation. NCB had received a complaint from Manjinder Sirsa in this regard and was marked to MZU (Mumbai Zonal Unit). To check the veracity of the video, the notice has been sent.”

The video features several Bollywood actors, including Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, director Ayan Mukherjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Malaika Arora.

The NCB seeks important information about drug spread in the Hindi film industry and details of the party that the director had hosted in July 2019. Besides this, electronic devices and other information have been sought by the investigating agency. The notice has been sent to Karan with respect to the 2019 video which was under circulation on social media. The central agency had received a complaint from Congress’s Manjinder Sirsa in this regard in September and it was marked to MZU.

As per reports, the NCB has issued summons to the filmmaker to check the veracity of the video under section 67(B) of the NDPS Act. It is important to note that Section 67(B)  does not require physical appearance but one has to co-operate with the investigating agency.  The person against whom it is issued is not questioned during the probe.

After the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, several Bollywood celebrities have been questioned in connection with substance abuse, including Sara Ali Khan, Padukone and Arjun Rampal. NCB has also questioned Anubhav Chopra and Kshitij Prasad, and linked them with Dharma Productions.

In this regard, Johar had said that Chopra was associated with the production house for projects from 2011 to 2013. Prasad joined Dharma Entertainment, which is linked with Dharma Productions, in 2019 as a producer.