International Desk: Bollywood's superstar Deepika has been summoned for questioning by Indian police as part of an ongoing probe following the suspected suicide of high-profile actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Former model Padukone, now one of India's best-paid actresses, is the highest-profile star to be embroiled in a probe into allegations of drug use in Bollywood which has transfixed the country and dominated headlines for months.

The investigation was sparked after Susant as found dead in his personal flat in Mumbai in June in what police described as a suicide. Indian authorities conducted an autopsy but have not made an official statement on the result. Shortly after his death, Rajput's father KK Singh filed a police complaint in Bihar, the Indian state he lives in, accusing Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty -- a lesser-known Bollywood star -- of stealing money from her boyfriend's bank account and abetting his suspected suicide. Rajput's family allege Chakraborty abetted his suicide by providing him with drugs that exacerbated his mental health issues but She denies those allegations.

"Some sections of the press continue to portray her in a negative light which is unfortunate," Maneshinde said.

In August, a case based on Rajput's father's allegations was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation, a federal law enforcement agency, and the scope of the probe widened. Since then, the authority arrested at least 10 people including Chalraborty, who was apprehended earlier this month for allegedly buying cannabis for Rajput prior to his death.

Chakraborty remains remanded in prison for a range of offenses including allegedly purchasing and consuming drugs, according to Mutha Ashok Jain, the deputy director of the NCB for southwest India.

Rajput's death and the ensuing fallout have been covered extensively in Indian media, with unverified conspiracy theories and allegations given air time on nationwide newscasts.

Chakraborty has borne the brunt of the media circus. In a tweet in July, she begged the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to launch an investigation into the case. "I only want to understand what pressures prompted Sushant to take this step," she said.