Bombay HC grants bail to Rhea Chakraborty, Showik’s plea rejected

Bombay HC grants bail to Rhea Chakraborty, Showik’s plea rejected

Mangalore Today News Network / Yahoo

Mumbai, Oct 07, 2020:  The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Rhea Chakraborty on one lakh bail bond, as per a report by India Today. However, the bail plea of her brother Showik Chakraborty has been rejected.

 

Rhea has been granted bail after nearly a month since her arrest by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in an alleged drug link related to her late partner Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

On the other hand, Sushant’s staff members Samuel Miranda and Dipesh Sawant have also been granted bail by the High Court. The bail of another person arrested in the case, Abdul Basit, has been rejected.

On 29 September, the Bombay High Court had reserved its order on the bail pleas of Rhea and Showik, which they had filed on 22 September.

NCB Opposed Rhea & Showik’s Bail Pleas

Opposing Rhea and Showik’s bail pleas, the NCB had said in its affidavit filed some time back that the applicants had ’abetted and financed’ drug transactions and therefore Section 27A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which provides punishment for financing drug trafficking and harbouring offenders, was applicable in the case.

The affidavit also stated that there was sufficient evidence to prove that Rhea is part of ’drug trafficking’.

“It is clear from the statements and electronic evidence gathered by NCB that applicant is an active member of the drug syndicate connected with high society personalities and drug suppliers. There is sufficient evidence that she is involved in drug trafficking. The applicant used to facilitate drug deliveries and payment through credit cards/cash/payment gateways for the contraband”, the affidavit stated.

Rhea’s Allegations in Her Bail Plea

In her bail plea filed on 22 September, Rhea Chakraborty had alleged that her late partner Sushant Singh Rajput "took advantage of those closest to him to sustain his drug habit".

The actor had claimed in her petition that Sushant was the "only consumer of drugs and that he was directing his staff members to procure his drugs". Rhea also alleged that "if the late actor were alive today, he would have been charged for the consumption of small quantities, which is a bailable offence having punishment of a term of imprisonment upto one year."

It is "preposterous", Rhea Chakraborty had argued in her plea, that while the "consumer of drugs" would receive a maximum punishment of up to one year jail, she would, having paid for the drugs on a few occasions, would be subjected to up to 20 years in jail.

Rhea also stated that Sushant Singh Rajput, "used her, her brother Showik and members of his household staff to facilitate his own drug habit while ensuring that he did not leave a paper trail of his own in the form of any electronic evidence whatsoever".

On 6 October, a special NDPS court had extended the judicial custody of Rhea till 20 October. Rhea and Showik were arrested by the NCB on charges of consumption and procurement of drugs.