Amid speculations that he might be summoned by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for questioning in the investigation over Bollywood-drugs links, filmmaker Karan Johar on Friday night released a statement stating that he neither consumes narcotics nor promotes or encourages consumption of any such substance.
Further reiterating his statement that no drugs were consumed at a party hosted by him last July, the filmmaker said, "Certain news channels, print/ electronic media and social media platform(s) are wrongly and misleadingly 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."
He also distanced himself from Kshitij Ravi Prasad and Anubhav Chopra, saying that not only are they not his 'close aides' but he doesn't even know them in a personal capacity.
"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 do not 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.
"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.
"However, in the past few days, the media has resorted to distasteful, distorted and false allegations. I hope the members of the media would exercise restraint else I will be left with no option but to legally protect my rights against this baseless attack on me," he concluded.
A video shared by Johar on social media last year has gone viral again after the NCB summoned several top actresses such as Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and Shraddha Kapoor.
In the video, several Bollywood A-listers, including Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Malaika Arora, and Arjun Kapoor, can be seen attending a house party hosted by Johar.