Akal Takht head priest's statement on Punjabi influencer's murder sparks row
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India Today
8 hours ago
- India Today
Indian-origin Ketamine Queen linked to FRIENDS actor's death
Forty-two-year-old Jasveen Sangha, of Indian origin and dubbed the "Ketamine Queen", has earned her notorious moniker not just in press coverage but also in official court filings. Sangha, who pleaded guilty to supplying the ketamine that caused the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry, also admitted to selling the drug to multiple other clients, including celebrities and high-end patrons in Los Angeles' upscale North faces up to 45 years in prison, though a plea deal has dropped some charges, including three distribution counts and an unrelated methamphetamine Perry, known for playing Chandler Bing in the sitcom Friends, died in October 2023 from a drug overdose. He had been struggling with addiction for years and reportedly took a fatal dose of ketamine supplied by the "Ketamine Queen" Sangha, who had been famous in the locale as a "celebrity drug dealer".So, who is Sangha, the "Ketamine Queen", who is now at the centre of a high-profile case? Her guilty plea, celebrity clientele, and looming prison sentence form the core of the five big takeaways from the unfolding story.1. SANGHA HAS DUAL CITIZENSHIP; OPERATED FROM HER HOME, 'SANGHA STASH HOUSE'Sangha, who is of Punjabi origin, according to The Indian Express, holds dual citizenship of the United States and the United built her drug trade from her residence in North Hollywood, which she admitted to using as a narcotics distribution hub since at least to a federal indictment, the residence was dubbed the "Sangha Stash House".Prosecutors described her Los Angeles residence as a "drug-selling emporium", where agents seized dozens of ketamine vials during a raid, reported the Hollywood is a neighbourhood in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, and is known for its arts district, trendy eateries, and upscale residences. It is home to aspiring actors, artists, and entertainment professionals, and also borders wealthy celebrity hubs like Studio City and Hollywood Hills.2. SANGHA HAD AN EXTRAVAGANT LIFE; DISPLAYED LUXURY ON SOCIAL MEDIAJasveen Sangha cultivated an extravagant, high-profile attended events like the Golden Globes and Oscars and socialised with celebrities, one of her friends told the Daily social media, she used to showcase her lavish trips to Japan and Mexico, while she ran her "stash house".She also flaunted herself, donning Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery, Louis Vuitton sneakers, and Chanel outfits, while savouring caviar at exclusive private jet lounges in Los Angeles, the British tabloid reported in 2024. She is also known for hosting glamorous Hollywood parties, where she often declared that "family is everything".Her luxury escapades did not stop after Matthew Perry's death in October 2023. Just two weeks later, she jetted off to Tokyo, sipping lychee martinis at the Mandarin Oriental, where suites fetch nearly $1,900 a night. In February 2024, four months after Perry's passing, she posted carefree selfies from Playa del Carmen, Mexico, basking in the sun at her beachfront residence and poolside also curated a polished image of wellness, boasting about IV drips after nights of partying and swearing by "sound healing", which she described as "uplifting and cleansing for the heart and soul".But beneath the veneer of opulence and self-care lay her darker role, which is now exposed in the indictment.3. BEFORE PERRY'S DEATH, A PERSONAL TRAINER DIED OF SANGHA'S DRUG ODFriends actor Perry was not the only victim of the drug she filings cited revealed that Sangha was previously linked to the death of another victim, Cody McLaury, who died in August 2019 after purchasing ketamine from in court, also admitted to selling ketamine to Cody McLaury, who was a 33-year-old aspiring personal trainer in Los died of an overdose just hours after allegedly buying ketamine from the 'queen', CNN reported in September found text messages on McLaury's phone showing he had paid Sangha for the drug via Venmo shortly before his McLaury's sister, Kimberly, confronted Sangha in a text about ketamine being listed on her brother's death certificate, Sangha reportedly ignored her but later searched Google for "can ketamine be listed as a cause of death".Prosecutors cited this search as evidence that Sangha knew the dangers of unsupervised ketamine use. This pattern of repeat offences added weight to her notoriety as the "Ketamine Queen."4. SANGHA SOLD 51 VIALS OF KETAMINE TO PERRY FOUR DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATHActor Matthew Perry, who was battling addiction, purchased ketamine from Jasveen Sangha, through his friend Erik Fleming and live-in assistant Kenneth October 2023, Sangha sold Perry 51 vials of ketamine, including 25 vials, for $6,000 four days before his death on October coordinated the deals, messaging Iwamasa that Sangha's ketamine was "unmarked but amazing" and catered to "high-end and celebs".Iwamasa injected Perry with the drug, including three fatal doses, on the day he aware of ketamine's dangers, instructed Fleming to delete their messages post-overdose.5. WHAT DID DEA FIND IN SANGHA'S HOLLYWOOD 'STASH HOUSE' RAIDIn March 2024, when Sangha's North Hollywood residence, dubbed the "drug-selling emporium" and "Sangha stash house", was raided by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), they uncovered a significant cache of multiple illegal authorities discovered over 80 vials of ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic linked to Matthew Perry's fatal overdose in October also found approximately 1,978 grams of orange pills that tested positive for methamphetamine, reported search also revealed thousands of other pills, including cocaine and Xanax, which solidified the home's reputation as a "drug-selling emporium", according to US Attorney Martin described the residence as a hub for packaging and distributing Sangha's guilty plea has cemented her fall from self-styled "celebrity dealer" to a convicted felon at the centre of one of Hollywood's most high-profile OD cases. Once flaunting Chanel in jet lounges, the "Ketamine Queen" now faces a future not in luxury trips but in prison years.- Ends advertisement
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Time of India
Punjab's anti-sacrilege law panel seeks academics' views
1 2 Chandigarh: A Punjab Vidhan Sabha committee is consulting academics and legal experts on a proposed law to curb sacrilege, as the state moves ahead with the Punjab Prevention of Offences against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025. The select committee, chaired by Aam Aadmi Party legislator Inderbir Singh Nijjar, met on Tuesday with members of the faculty from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Among those offering feedback were Amarjit Singh, head of Sikh Studies, Syed Raihan Hasan Rizvi from Urdu Persian, and professors from law, Hindi, architecture, and political science. The committee has also sought input from the Bar Association president and chairman of the bar council of the Punjab and Haryana high court, who are expected at its next meeting on Aug 26. Retired high court judges have been invited to submit written suggestions. Earlier this month, on Aug 12, the panel held consultations with experts from Punjabi University, Patiala, including specialists in Sikhism and religious studies. The Bill was cleared by the Punjab cabinet on July 14 and introduced in the Vidhan Sabha the same day. On July 15, legislators referred it to the select committee unanimously for wider consultation with stakeholders, including the public, before final passage. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Punjabi-origin woman behind Friends star Matthew Perry overdose death
A Punjabi-origin woman accused of supplying the drugs that led to the death of Friends star Matthew Perry has agreed to plead guilty to multiple federal charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced Monday. Jasveen Sangha, 42, who holds dual citizenship of the United States and the United Kingdom, has been described by prosecutors as a prolific Los Angeles drug dealer known in her circles as the 'Ketamine Queen.' Sangha, who lived in North Hollywood, built her trade around selling ketamine and other narcotics, often boasting of her reputation among buyers. She admitted to providing the ketamine that caused Perry's fatal overdose in October 2023 and will formally enter her plea in the coming weeks. With her agreement, Sangha becomes the fifth and final defendant in the case to strike a deal with federal prosecutors, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled for September. According to the Justice Department, Sangha has agreed to plead guilty to five counts—maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. The charges carry a statutory maximum sentence of up to 45 years in federal prison. 'A San Fernando Valley woman has agreed to plead guilty to five federal criminal charges, including that she provided the ketamine that ultimately resulted in the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry in October 2023,' the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement. Prosecutors said Sangha worked with co-defendant Erik Fleming, 55, of Hawthorne, to supply Perry with large quantities of ketamine. In October 2023, Sangha and Fleming sold 51 vials of the drug to Perry's live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, of Toluca Lake. On October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three doses of Sangha's ketamine, leading to the actor's death. After news of the death broke, Sangha allegedly used encrypted apps to discuss covering her tracks, instructing Fleming to 'Delete all our messages.' Court filings also revealed that Sangha admitted to a prior case involving another victim, Cody McLaury, who died in August 2019 after purchasing ketamine from her. In March 2023, law enforcement searched Sangha's North Hollywood residence and seized 1.7 kilograms of pressed methamphetamine pills, 79 vials of liquid ketamine, counterfeit Xanax, MDMA tablets, powdered cocaine and ketamine, as well as cash and drug-trafficking equipment. Sangha admitted to using the residence as a base for distributing narcotics since at least 2019. Sangha has been in federal custody since August 2024. At sentencing, she faces a statutory maximum of 20 years for the drug-premises charge, up to 10 years for each ketamine distribution count, and up to 15 years for the distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury—totalling 45 years. The case has been investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Perry, who rose to global fame playing Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom Friends, was 54 when he died. His struggles with addiction were widely documented in his memoir and interviews, lending his death a tragic resonance for millions of fans worldwide.
