Karan Johar issues statement: 'I don’t consume narcotics'

Filmmaker Karan Johar, late on Friday, took to social media to post a long note, denying that any narcotic substance was consumed during a party that he hosted in 2019. He also called the allegations 'baseless and false'. As the probe into alleged use of drugs in Bollywood intensifies, the video from last year showing a bunch of actors is back in discussion. It was alleged by the former SAD MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa that drugs were consumed at a party attended by stars including Deepika Padukone, Malaika Arora, Vicky Kaushal and Shahid Kapoor among others.

Karan started by saying that when the first time the allegation was made, he had made it clear that no drugs had been used. He also took an aim at some media outlets who are running news stories around the video. He wrote: "Certain news channels, print/electronic media and social media platform (s) are wrongly and misleading reporting that narcotics were consumed at a party that I, Karan Johar hosted on July 28, 2019 at my residence. I had already clarified my position way back in 2019 that the allegations were false."

"In view of the current malicious campaign, I am reiterating that the allegations are completely baseless and false, No narcotics substance was consumed in the party.

I would like to unequivocally once again state that I do not consume narcotics and I do not promote or encourage consumption of any such substance."

"All these slanderous and malicious statements, news articles and news clippings have unnecessarily subjected me, my family and my colleagues and Dharma Productions, to hatred, contempt and ridicule."

Karan then addressed the issue of the emergence of two names - Kshitij Prasad and Anubhav Chopra – during the ongoing drugs probe, who have been addressed as his "close aides" in some reports.

He continued: "I would like to further state that several media/news channels have been airing news reports that Kshitij Prasad and Anubhav Chopra are my 'aides'/'close aides'. I would like to place on record that I don't know these individuals personally and neither of these two individuals are 'aides' or 'close aides'.

"Neither I, nor Dharma Productions can be made responsible for what people do in their personal lives. These allegations do not pertain to Dharma Productions. I wish to further state that Mr Anubhav Chopra is not an employee at Dharma Productions. He was briefly associated with us for only two months in the capacity of 2nd assistant director for a film, between November 2011 and January 2012 and as assistant director for the short film in January 2013. He has thereafter never been associated with Dharma Productions for any other project."

He added, "Mr Kshitij Ravi Prasad joined Dharmatic Entertainment (sister concern of Dharma Productions) in November 2019 as one of the executive producers on contract basis for a project which eventually did not materialise."

In 2019, Karan had posted a video featuring a bunch of celebrities from Bollywood at a party hosted by him. Sirsa had claimed that a video was a proof that drugs were used there. After the emergence of a drugs angle in the ongoing probe into Sushant Singh Rajput death case, he had once again raked up the issue and has also filed a complaint with Narcotics Control Bureau.

Over the last few days, a number of people associated with Bollywood have been questioned by the NCB. Names include actors Rakul Preet Singh, KWAN employees Jaya Saha and Karishma Prasad. On Saturday, Deepika and Sara Ali Khan will reportedly appear before NCB for questioning.