Updated: September 11, 2020 4:49:37 pm
In her release on bail, Rhea Chakraborty has also said that she has been the subject of investigation by three agencies, so far, along with a “substantial media trial.”
A special court in Mumbai on Friday rejected bail statements submitted by Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik, who were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with the drug case linked to the death of the actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
In addition to this, the court also rejected the bail statements of four other defendants in the case. All of the accused are currently in judicial custody.
The defendants’ requests for bail were rejected by Judge GB Gurao from the special court hearing cases brought under the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).
“Once we get a copy of the order from the NDPS Special Court, we will decide next week on future action, about approaching the Bombay High Court,” said attorney Satish Maneshinde, representing the brothers.
Appearing before the NCB, special prosecutor Atul Sarpande said that the court, while rejecting the bail statements, accepted the prosecution’s arguments that the investigation is at a crucial stage.
The NCB claimed that Rhea was “having conscious knowledge of Sushant Singh Rajput’s drug use” and became part of the crime by buying drugs from him. (Proceedings)
Thursday, the NCB strongly opposed Rhea’s plea and referred to his alleged drug procurement for the Rajput through Showik and the late actor’s two employees as a “drug procurement nexus”.
The NCB claimed that Rhea was “knowingly aware of Sushant Singh Rajput’s drug use” and became part of the crime by buying drugs from him.
The agency also referenced a statement, which it claimed was given voluntarily by Rhea and will be legally admissible in court. Rhea, however, in her release on bail, said that she has since retracted the statement, claiming she was forced to do so.
“According to the plaintiff’s (Rhea) statement, she was paying for the drugs, which were received by Samuel Miranda (Sushant’s housekeeper) and Dipesh Sawant (Sushant’s cook) for delivering them to Sushant Singh Rajput,” the NCB told He contends that this proves that the drugs were “financed” by Rhea and “supplied” to Sushant, leading to her being registered under Section 27A of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).
The charge relating to the financing of illicit trafficking carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and is not subject to bail.
Rhea in her request for bail has also said that there was “not a shred of evidence” to charge her under the section. “The fact is, the NCB has not disclosed any connection between Rhea and any street drug vendors. It is the case of the NCB that Rhea is only related to Sushant’s house manager, Samuel Miranda, her cook Dipesh Sawant and her brother Showik Chakraborty, ”said the guilty plea presented by her lawyer Satish Maneshinde.
(With PTI inputs)
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