Sushant Singh case: NCB arrests Rhea Chakraborty, bail plea rejected

Actor Rhea Chakraborty was remanded to 14-day judicial custody after being arrested on Tuesday. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is probing allegations of drug abuse in the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has charged Chakraborty with procuring drugs for Rajput.

On Tuesday afternoon, Chakraborty was arrested on the basis of statements from other arrested accused in the case. So far, NCB has made nine arrests, including Chakraborty’s brother, Showik; Rajput’s house manager Samuel Miranda, and Rajput’s domestic help, Dipesh Sawant.

Deputy director general, NCB, Mutha Ashok Jain said, “We have not found any contraband from Rhea and her brother Showik’s residence in Juhu. After three days of interrogation, we have sufficient material to arrest her, but I will not comment on the evidence in this case.”

At 7.30pm, NCB produced Chakraborty before a magistrate court via video conferencing. In its remand application, NCB claimed Chakraborty had revealed she procured drugs for Rajput.

“It is also clear from the statement that the present respondent [Chakraborty] used to procure drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput for consumption purpose. The present respondent used to manage finance for drug procurement along with Sushant Singh Rajput,” read the application. NCB did not seek Chakraborty’s custody.

Advocate Satish Maneshinde, representing Chakraborty, moved for bail and questioned the applicability of section 27A (financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) on Chakraborty. He contended she should at most be charged under section 27 (consumption of narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) of the act. However public prosecutor Atul Sarpande said Chakraborty had been charged under section 27A for arranging drugs for Rajput.

“Under section 27 (a), the punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders is 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and could extend up to 20 years, which can also extend to a fine of Rs 2 lakh. Magistrate courts do not have jurisdiction on cases where sections attract punishment over 10 years,” said Atul Sarpande, on the court’s decision to reject Chakraborty’s bail plea.

Chakraborty has been remanded to judicial custody till September 22.