The special investigation team (SIT) of Telangana’s excise department probing the Hyderabad drug racket yesterday questioned actress Charmme Kaur.
The questioning began at 10am and continued till afternoon at Abkari Bhavan, the office of the prohibition and excise department.
A four-member team of women officers led by assistant excise inspector Anita questioned the actress on her alleged links with Calvin Mascrenhas, the racket kingpin. She was also asked whether she takes drugs.
On a petition by the actress, the Hyderabad High Court had directed that she be questioned by women officers between 10am and 5pm.
The court also asked the SIT not to collect Charmme’s blood, hair and nail samples without her consent. It, however, rejected her plea to allow the presence of her lawyer during the questioning.
The officials hope to gather significant clues from Charmme, who was allegedly in touch with Calvin after the latter was introduced to her by film director Puri Jagannadh.
She is the seventh celebrity from Telugu film industry to appear before the SIT.
Charmme is one of the 12 personalities from the Telugu film industry summoned by the SIT for questioning in the drug racket which was busted this month.
The SIT has questioned six celebrities including actors Tarun and Navdeep and director Jagannadh.
They were summoned after the SIT found their contact details in the call data of Calvin Mascrenhas.
The SIT has arrested 19 accused in the racket, which created a sensation following startling revelation that peddlers sold drugs to students of several colleges and schools in Hyderabad, film celebrities and software professionals.