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Vijay Raaz was held with drugs, confirm police

ABU DHABI Bollywood actor Vijay Raaz has been arrested on charges of possessing narcotic drugs, Indian embassy sources said here yesterday, quoting the UAE police.

Now detained at the Al Wathba jail in Abu Dhabi, the actor has however denied the charges and pleaded not guilty.

“The Abu Dhabi Police have confirmed that he was arrested in Abu Dhabi on February 15, contrary to reports that he was detained on February 14,” said the official. “He was produced before the public prosecutor, and it seems one or two court hearings are also over,” he added. When contacted over the phone by the embassy, Vijay said he is innocent. “He repeatedly said that he was not carrying any narcotic drug when he was arrested at the Abu Dhabi airport. According to him, the officials asked him to sign some papers assuring him that they were only trying to help him. He had no clue where he was being taken and since they were speaking in Arabic, he could not communicate with them either,” said an embassy official.

Vijay was in the country for the shooting of the Hindi film ‘Diwaane Hue Paagal’ being directed by Vikram Bhatt. His family and friends in the Bollywood circle had earlier expressed shock at the rumours surrounding his detention. “I have known him for the past 12 years, and he has never taken drugs in his life,” Krishna Raaz, wife of Vijay was reported as saying.

As per embassy sources, Krishna is in touch with the Indian embassy and has also hired a lawyer from Dubai. “The lawyer has met Vijay in the jail, but we have no further details of the meeting,” added the official. However, the Indian embassy’s efforts to meet Vijay has, so far, not materialised.” We are trying to meet him to get a clear picture. We have requested permission from the foreign ministry and the police authorities,” said the embassy official, expressing hope that they would see him soon.