Comedian Bharti Singh arrested by NCB in drug case

    (Ed: Updating)
    Mumbai, Nov 21 (PTI) The Narcotics Control Bureau
(NCB) on Saturday arrested comedian Bharti Singh following
seizure of ganja (cannabis) from her house in suburban
Andheri, an official said.
    The NCB searched Singh's house and office in the
morning as part of its probe into alleged drug use in the
Hindi film industry.
    A team led by Sameer Wankhede, the central agency's
zonal director, carried out a search at Singh's residence at
Lokhandwala Complex as well as her production house based on a
tip-off, a release said.
    It recovered 86.5 grams of ganja during the search,
the release added.
    "Both Ms Bharti Singh and her husband Harsh Limbachiya
accepted consumption of ganja. Bharti Singh was placed under
arrest under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
(NDPS) Act and examination of Mr Limbachiya is underway,"
the NCB release added.
    The quantity allegedly seized from Singh's possession
is considered as "small quantity" under the act, as against
"commercial quantity", an NCB official said.
    Upto 1,000 grams of ganja is considered small
quantity, which attracts jail term upto six months and/or fine
of Rs 10,000. Possession of commercial quantity -- 20 kg or
more -- can attract upto 20 years in jail. For the quantity in
between, the punishment can be as much as 10 years in jail.
    "Singh's name had cropped up during the interrogation
of a drug peddler," he added.
    The agency also carried out searches at two other
locations in the metropolis, the official said.
    Bharti Singh has appeared in many comedy and reality
shows on TV. She has also hosted a few such shows.
    The NCB has been probing the alleged drug use in
Bollywood after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in
June on the basis of WhatsApp chats involving drugs.
    The central agency had earlier arrested Rajput's
girlfriend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, some
employees of the late film star and a few others under various
sections of the NDPS Act.
    Rhea Chakraborty and some other accused are currently
out on bail. PTI DC NP SP
KRK KRK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)