‘May alert others, destroy evidence’: Why court dismissed Rhea Chakraborty’s bail plea

A special court that denied bail to Bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty in connection with the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) probe into the drug-related angle in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case held that if she was released on bail she might alert others and they might destroy evidence.

Additional sessions judge GB Gurao of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) court observed on September 11 that as the investigation is still in the initial phase, if the accused is granted bail she may tamper with the prosecution evidence, news agency ANI reported.

“In addition, according to the prosecution, the accused has taken the names of other persons. The investigation in respect of those persons is in process. If the accused is released on bail then she will alert those persons and they will destroy the evidence. There is a possibility of tampering of evidence,” the order said.

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It added that Chakraborty’s statements were recorded by NCB on September 6,7 and 8 and the actor was also provided police protection on her request. “The prosecution revealed the role of the accused on the basis of said statement and thereafter, she was arrested in the crime. Therefore, at this stage, when the investigation is at a preliminary stage, it cannot be said that the statement is forcefully recorded and inadmissible in evidence,” according to the order.

The court also noted that Chakraborty was arrested under charges that were non-bailable. “Section 27-A of the NDPS Act as discussed above is in respect of the illicit trafficking of drugs, considering the punishment prescribed for the offence punishable under this section offence is non-bailable,” it said.

The court cited electronic evidence and WhatsApp chats that NCB has recovered. It also observed that some amount of money was transferred via credit card of the accused and that a commercial quantity of LSD was recovered from one of the accused Anuj Keshwani.

Also read: Two more arrests by NCB in Sushant Singh Rajput case

The 28-year-old actor, in her bail application, stated that NCB has not disclosed any connection between her and any of the drug peddlers. She also claimed that during her custody, she was coerced into making incriminatory confessions and that the statement was retracted on September 8 itself.

Chakraborty and her brother Showik have been remanded to the central agency’s custody till September 22. The bail pleas of Rajput’s house manager Samuel Miranda, his domestic help Dipesh Sawant, alleged drug peddlers Abdul Basit and Zaid Vilatra apart from Rhea and Showik have also been rejected by the court.

NCB has, so far, arrested 18 people in connection with the case.

(With inputs from agencies)