Enforcement Directorate 'squeezes' Puri to extract drug-money link

Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate, which has begun to dig deep into the narcotics drugs case filed in Hyderabad in 2017, quizzed the noted film director Puri Jagannadh for about nine hours on Tuesday. He is likely to be called for interrogation again.

The entire investigation centred around the money trail and Tollywood personalities' role in the case that rocked the State in 2017. Over 60 people were grilled by the Prohibition and Excise department in 2017 and a few chargesheets were filed after conducting a probe into the case, which hit the national headlines. The ED officials grilled Puri and his chartered accountant separately on the money transfer to other countries made from his personal accounts in three banks. They were asked about the details of the recipients of the money and the purpose of the transfer. The ED is also learnt to have sought clarifications on his association with Kelvin who is one of the main accused in the drug case and tried to ascertain whether any money transactions were done through him and if there was any violation of FERA or if any money laundering took place.

They also sought information about the money transactions made from the accounts of Puri Productions. His production house operates a joint account along with actress Charmee and some others. Charmee is also among the list of those film personalities who have received notices and would be questioned soon.

Puri was asked by the ED to appear before them with bank statements of three years 2015 to 2017. He reached the ED office at 10.17 am and was continuously grilled by ED sleuths till 7.45 pm with one hour lunch break. Though he was accompanied by his brother and son, they were made to sit in the office and were not allowed to meet Puri.

The ED office in Basheerbagh witnessed some commotion as film producer and actor Bandla Ganesh appeared there. He claimed that he had come to meet Puri and no one had given him any notice and that he was in no way connected with the case. He was, however, not allowed to meet Puri and left after meeting the brother and son of Puri.