The NCB has challenged the bail granted by Bombay High Court to Rhea Chakraborty in the Supreme Court. The Bollywood actress has been granted bail by the Bombay High Court in October last year after her arrest over drugs related charges. She was directed to submit Rs. 1 lakh to the court and to not leave the country without the court’s permission.

On Monday, the Central Government approached the Supreme Court and challenged the October 2020 bail order of Bombay High Court in the cases registered against her under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) in the Union of India V. Rhea Chakraborty case. The case will now likely be heard by the Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna and Justice V Ramasubramanian on March 18.

The Narcotics Bureau of India (NCB) had filed a 12,000-page-chargesheet in its drug investigation into Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and 31 more.  In its charge sheet, the NCB has claimed that Rhea Chakraborty had made several transactions from her HDFC bank account to procure drugs. The charge sheet claims that Rhea had played a ‘direct role and connivance’ in the case as the delivery of drugs was also made at her residence.

Meanwhile, Rhea’s brother Showik Chakraborty has been accused a co-conspirator along with her sister in procuring drugs that were ‘financed’ by her sister Rhea. The NCB carried out multiple searches at the residences of several Bollywood celebrities and recovered 7 kgs of drugs worth Rs. 35 lakhs. In the charge sheet the NCB has claimed that it had ‘enough evidence’ thanks to the WhatsApp chats, financial transactions to connect her playing the role in the procurement of drugs.

The drug investigation was triggered by the Sushant Singh Rajput death investigation where several WhatsApp chats between Rhea, the KWAN talent manager Jaya and others discussing the procurement of marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD) were found by the authorities. The NCB later arrested Rhea Chakraborty, Showik Chakraborty as well as other drug peddlers for procurement, financing and distribution of narcotic substances.

On October 7, Rhea was granted bail after Bombay High Court said the actress ‘could not be said to have harboured illicit drug trafficking’ and stated that ‘she did not have any criminal antecedents’, and stayed on its decision that it was unlikely that she could affect the investigation or make changes to the evidences while out on bail. The Bombay High Court had directed her to appear before the nearest police station every 10 days after she was released on bail. Along with that she was also directed to not leave the country as a bail condition.

Moreover, the High Court also disagreed with the argument of Narcotics Control Bureau which said that celebrities should be treated harshly and justly to set a clear example for the masses. Meanwhile, Rhea had filed a bail petition where she claimed that along with her, her brother Showik were targets of a biased witch hunt by the anti-drug agencies who had no incriminating evidences against her. She also further alleged that Sushant Singh continued taking advantage of her to keep providing him with drugs as she was the only person close to him.

Rhea also claimed that the late actor suffered from bipolar disorder, was abandoned by his family, and was severely depressed during the COVID-19 induced nationwide lockdown. She also added that the untimely demise of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor also took a toll on him.

The roots of the entire Sushant Singh Rajput, Rhea Chakraborty and Bollywood drugs syndicate goes back to June when the 34-year-old Sushant was found hanging at his Bandra residence. The untimely alleged suicide sent a shockwave throughout the nation. On further investigation, the Mumbai Police ruled his death as ‘suicide by hanging’, Rajput’s family countered saying there was foul play involved in the actor’s death. The family demanded a CBI investigation and alleged that Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea was involved in pushing Sushant to suicide. The family also filed an FIR in Bihar against Rhea on the grounds of ‘abetment to suicide, cheating, and conspiracy’.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput Coverage: Republic TV, Times Now Slammed for “contemptuous” reporting