NCB opposes bail plea of Rhea, Showik Chakraborty; HC reserves application

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday (September 29) opposed the bail pleas of actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and three others in a drug case related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, and told the Bombay High Court that the offences against them were non-bailable as the crime involved was “worse than murder or culpable homicide”.

According to The Indian Express, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, who was appearing for the NCB, said, “This is sort of a crime, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, which is worse than murder or culpable homicide. Murder affects one person or a family. However, this (drug cases) affects the entire society.”

“We are seeing the trend going on in the country, (among) the college youngsters. This is a crime, where it should be made non-bailable. Therefore, the legislature has said that the offence will be cognizable and have not made it bailable,” he added.

The law enforcement agency also told the court that the investigation had nothing to do with Rajput’s death and that it was a case of ‘drug syndication’.

“This is a drug syndicate and that they are all interlinked. All persons arrested till now, are connected with each other and it is a syndicate. There were regular links and purchasing,” the NCB said.

“All throughout arguments, applicants state that this is connected to Sushant Singh Rajput death case but this investigation has nothing to do with it,” Anil Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Earlier, the NCB had also urged the Bombay High Court to reject Chakraborty’s bail plea because she had ‘bought drugs’ for and ‘concealed’ Sushant Singh Rajput’s drug habit.

The NCB submitted two affidavits in the court, calling Rhea and her brother Showik “active members of (a) drug syndicate connected with high society personalities and drug suppliers”.

The NCB’s submissions were in response to the HC’s order on September 24 which had asked the drugs investigation agency to respond to Rhea and her brother’s bail pleas. The two were arrested based on WhatsApp chats purportedly recovered from Chakraborty’s phone.

Related news: Bail plea hearing of Rhea, her brother due today in Bombay HC

NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede said in one of the affidavits that the drugs allegedly linked to Chakraborty were “not meant for personal consumption”. He further said that WhatsApp chats and records retrieved from the mobile, laptop and hard-disk indicate that payment was indeed made for the drugs. “Thus, there is ample evidence to show that the present applicant Rhea has not only regularly dealt (with) but has also financed illicit trafficking of drugs,” he wrote in the affidavit.

The affidavits also establish a link between Chakraborty and Anuj Keshwani, from whom the NCB claims to have recovered “commercial quantity of contraband LSD”.

The NCB said that Chakraborty tried to “conceal” the fact that Sushant Singh Rajput consumed drugs.

The affidavits add, “It is clear from the statement and electronic evidence gathered by (the) NCB (that the) applicant is an active member of the drug syndicate connected with high society personalities and drug suppliers. There is sufficient evidence gathered 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 NCB made similar submissions against Showik.

The NCB pleaded with the HC to reject Rhea and Showik’s bail pleas because “she had actively aided, abetted and financed other accused persons from drug transactions in pursuance of criminal conspiracy. It is clear that the drugs which were financed were not meant for personal consumption but for supplying the same to another person… Therefore, Section 27A of the NDPS Act is clearly applicable in the case.”

The High Court will hear the bail pleas of Rhea and Showik and three others on Tuesday.