Popular actress Ragini Dwivedi, who has predominantly appeared in Kannada movies, was arrested by the Central Crime Branch, Bangalore in connection with the drug scandal, which has come to light amid the allegations of drug scandal surfaced around the probe on the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. 

The actress was arrested on Friday along with two more persons who are part of the scandal which shocked the nation. The Central Crime Branch, which has been probing the racket in the Kannada film industry- also known as 'Sandalwood', has taken the actress into the custody, two days after the agency had sent a notice to her to appear for investigation. 

The police said that they have detained the actress in connection with the ongoing drug scandal. She was arrested under sections 21(b) and (c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985. According to the reports, the sections warrant the punishment of up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 2 lakh if convicted for manufacturing, possessing, selling, purchasing, transporting, and using the manufactured drugs and psychotropic substances. 

After arresting, Ragini was taken to Bowring Hospital in Bangalore for medical tests following which she was produced before a court through video conference and she was remanded in police custody for three days. Along with actress Ragini, the Crime Branch had arrested two people Rahul and Viren Khanna who were event managers.  

According to the police, Ragini was taken to the CCB office on Friday afternoon for questioning her role in the drug scandal and she was arrested later in the evening. The reports say that the CCB team had carried out raids at the actress's residence in the early morning hours on Friday after obtaining the search warrant from the court. 

Earlier on Wednesday, CCB had served a notice to the actress to appear for investigation. The police said that the arrest of Viren Khanna had been significant as he is the important person who arranges and organizes big parties where drugs are consumed. Khanna was in Delhi and two police officers were deployed and he was later got arrested. On Thursday, the police had arrested Ravishankar in connection to the case and so far, four people have been arrested in the drug scandal.  

According to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant, the actress was in close contact with Ravishankar and police have started the second level of investigation based on their revelations, and accordingly other people have also been called for questioning.  The Crime Branch has intensified its probe into drug scam in Bengaluru after the Narcotics Control Bureau had initially arrested three persons from the city, who were reportedly supplying drugs to singers and actors in the Kannada Film Industry.