Sandalwood drug case: CCB arrests actor Sanjjanaa Galrani

A senior officer from Central Crime Branch (CCB) told DH that they have arrested actress Sanjjanaa Galrani in connection with a drug scandal case registered at Cottonpet police station. She will be produced in the court and we will ask the court to remand her to police custody.

The CCB had searched actor Sanjjanaa Galrani's flat in Indiranagar and detained her earlier after a four-and-half hour-long search. Officials had searched her house in connection with the Sandalwood-linked drug scandal. Police started the search around 6:30 am and completed the search around 11 am. Officials thoroughly searched Sanjjanaa's house including the flower pots, kitchen, her room, balcony and in cars.

The officials also conducted a search on the house of Viren Khanna's house in Shanthi Nagar in Central Bengaluru, he is a businessman and an organiser of big parties that are often attended by Kannada actors, businessmen and other VVIPs. The officials had taken search warrants from the court to conduct searches in both Sanjjanaa and Viren's houses.

Also Read: Sandalwood drug case: CCB raids Sanjjanaa Galrani's flat in Indiranagar

A team of around eight police officers including women police inspector Anjumala T Nayak and inspector Puneeth Kumar conducted a search in Sanjjanaa's house, while the police inspector Sridhar K Pujar and Mohammed Siraj conducted a search in Viren's house. He was arrested in Delhi a few days back and was taken into police custody.

Sanjjanaa's close friend Rahul Thonshe was arrested a few days ago. Based on his statement and other accused persons officials searched her house. Rahul is an architect and also a businessman. When he was arrested, Sanjjanaa had addressed mediapersons stating that Rahul is her 'Rakhi' brother and is an innocent person, but she has nothing to do with his link with the drug mafia.

According to officials, Sanjjanaa Galrani initially cooperated during the search, but after some time she started arguing with them. The officials have seized a laptop, hard disk and her three mobile phones from her flat. They also questioned her family members, employees before questioning her. CCB officials said they got some material useful for the case and immediately they asked local police to seize the materials.

She got into an argument with the police stating that if she was served a notice she would have voluntarily appeared before them for questioning and told police that there was no need of a search. She also mentioned that her mother is aged, has fallen ill and is disturbed over recent developments. She had also asked police to leave her house and she would follow them in her own car.

According to police sources, Sanjjanaa had been to a well known senior advocate's office to get guidance on how to face the police and the procedures. But she happened to meet another advocate in the office and took some advice as she had a clue that police may search her house any time. On learning about the search, her advocate rushed to her apartment.

Officials ordered food from a hotel for themselves and also for Sanjjanaa's family members, initially Sanjjanaa refused to have breakfast, but later she ate some food. Officials also questioned her about a doctor working in a private hospital with whom she was very close. Rahul had revealed the doctor's name.

"Sanjjanaa's name had surfaced in the drug scandal from day one, but we didn't hurry in searching her house as we needed some evidence, once we got the sufficient evidence, we searched her house and detained her. She is being taken to CCB office in a police SUV. She will be produced before a magistrate," a senior officer said.

Sanjjanaa is the second Sandalwood actress to be arrested in a drug scandal case after Ragini Dwivedi.