Challenge those who accused me of being drug peddler to produce evidence: Sandeep Ssingh

I challenge all those who are accusing me of being a drug peddler to produce a single piece of evidence, said film producer Sandeep Ssingh in connection with allegations levelled against him after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The film producer also said that he had already spoken to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and will readily go to talk with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) if he is called in by the agency.

"I never smoked a cigarette in my life, have not even tasted a drop of alcohol. But people declared me a drug peddler. Let them produce a single proof of it. I challenge them," Ssingh told here.

"I am available and am willing to go to any agency for questioning in connection with the case," he added.

The film producer further cleared the rumours surrounding allegations that he was in connected to underworld don and India's most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim in any manner.

"In 2012, I was shooting Ram Lila. We were at an 'iftaar' party and beside me was seated production designer Wasik Khan. In a photo of that gathering, he was declared as Dawood Ibrahim. He has even clarified that he is not Dawood Ibrahim and just a simple production designer," Ssingh said.

The producer said that he had full faith in the investigative agencies probing the case and urged everyone to be patient so that truth can be revealed.

"The CBI team (investigating Sushant Singh Rajput's death case) called me and asked about sequence of events on June 14 and 15. I told them everything I knew. Everyone wanted CBI inquiry, which happened. Now people want to decide who is accused. We should have a little patience," he said in a message to those on social media platform.

The film producer said he was disheartened by the media trials and people on social media platforms targeting his family. "The media has been camping outside my residence for 20 days? Why? Am I an accused? People in my residential society are asking me to leave," Ssingh said.

BJP MLA Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu, Rajput's cousin had in August demanded that Sandeep and Sidharth Pith be interrogated by the CBI. The Congress party too had used Sandeep Ssingh's name to target the ruling BJP and had questioned the motive behind pushing for a CBI inquiry instead of letting Mumbai police handle the investigation.

Meanwhile, Rhea Chakraborty, Sushant's girlfriend was summoned by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday morning to join the investigation of the death case of the late actor.

On August 19, the Supreme Court had asked the CBI to investigate the case related to the actor's death, while holding that the FIR registered in Patna was legitimate. The agency has registered an FIR against Chakraborty and others in connection with the actor's death after the Centre accepted the Bihar government's recommendation to transfer the probe in the matter from Patna.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also registered an Enforcement Case Information Report in the late actor's death case after a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by Rajput's father KK Singh against Rhea Chakraborty in Bihar on July 28.

Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14.

( With inputs from ANI )