Never took a rupee from Sushant, says Rhea on money-laundering charges

In an emotional response to the allegations in the case of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, actor Rhea Chakraborty said on Thursday (August 27) that she had not taken a “single rupee” from him, contrary to the Enforcement Directorate’s charges against her.

Chakraborty spoke to NDTV (albeit vaguely) on numerous developments and accusations in the investigation by various agencies – the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) – apart from the initial investigation by the Mumbai police and Bihar police.

She stressed repeatedly on the claim that her family was suffering severely because of the pressure from the public, and cited an incident where her gardener had been attacked near her residence because of the presence of a mob there. She also said her father was being pushed around.

“It is really difficult. My entire family and I are going through scrutiny. There’s a mob outside my gate. My dad, the watchmen, people in the building. What are you doing to my family? Why can’t you wait for results to come? We have faith in the system. That is why we are alive, else would have committed suicide. My father served in the army for 25 years.

“My family’s mental health is being destroyed.

“What are you doing to this family? We are being grilled, we are being law-abiding citizens. My mother is on the verge of a mental breakdown. My father is being pushed around, mentally and physically pushed around. And all we did is love a boy,” she told NDTV.

In what was seen as an emotional response to accusations of the female actor being a gold-digger and social climber, she said, “My aukaat (status) is that Sushant loved me.”

Her use of the word ‘aukaat’ came a week after Bihar Police chief Gupteshwar Pandey had said Chakraborty did not have the ‘aukaat’ to comment on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. “The meaning of ‘aukaat’ in English is stature. Rhea Chakraborty does not have the stature to comment on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. She shouldn’t forget that she is named an accused in the FIR in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, which was under me and now with CBI.”

Related news: AIIMS forms 5-member medical board to look into Sushant’s autopsy report

With regard to the money-laundering charges against the female actor, Chakraborty denied having taken any large amount of money from Sushant. “They (allegations) are completely baseless. I never took a single rupee. I am being probed by the Enforcement Directorate. Mine and his bank statements are there in the public domain. We had a company where we were equal partners,” NDTV quoted her as saying.

However, she kept her response vague with regard to the allegations of ₹15 crore being transferred from Sushant’s account to one of the bank accounts associated with her.

Furthermore, with regard to the reports on her giving Sushant drugs and dealing with drugs herself, she said, “I have never spoken to a dealer or taken drugs in my life. I am open to a blood test. Anything I say will be misconstrued. The Pandora’s box has been opened by his family. I wanted his memory to be pristine.”

Moreover, calling the accusation of her poisoning Sushant “bizarre, sad, and pathetic”, she said, “He (Sushant) stopped taking them (prescriptions by doctors for depression) in January. When Cursee sent the prescription later, he didn’t take them. If I was controlling him, why would I let him stop taking the medicines? Poison him? It is the most pathetic allegation.”

Related news: Reports reveal Sushant was drugged, Narcotics Bureau files case against Rhea

She also went on to speak about a violation of privacy norms when her WhatsApp chats, which were available only with investigating agencies, had reportedly been selectively leaked. “My WhatsApp chats are out there. They were only given to agencies. My friends’ numbers are being flashed on TV. That’s why I decided to speak up.

“The one-sided narrative is destroying my family. The Enforcement Directorate wants to know the financial details. I am willing to cooperate with everyone. All I ask for is a fair trial. You are breaking down a simple, innocent, middle-class family,” Chakraborty appealed.

When asked whether she thought she was going to be arrested, Chakraborty said confidently that she would not be arrested since she had not done anything wrong.