Rhea Chakraborty, Showik & others' bail in NCB's Sushant case drug nexus probe rejected

The Mumbai sessions court on Thursday has rejected the bail applications of Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and others who were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the drug probe in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

Apart from Rhea, those whose bail plea has been rejected by Special judge GB Gurao of the special court are Sushant's ex house manager Samuel Miranda, his staff Dipesh Sawant, alleged drug peddlers Zaid and Basit. Rhea, Showik and others are currently lodged in Byculla jail. After hearing the arguments of all sides, the sessions court on Thursday had reserved the verdict. 

As the verdict was pronounced, Dipesh Sawant's lawyer told media that they will move Bombay High Court to challenge the bail rejection order by the sessions court. He said that the sessions court has not provided any reason to reject the bail plea, however, the full order is awaited. Rhea Chakraborty's lawyer Satish Maneshinde said that he will decide next week on the course of action on approaching the High Court after he gets the order copy.

Rhea was sent to judicial custody for 14 days after her arrest on Tuesday, her brother Showik was in Narcotics Control Bureau remand since September 4. They are also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the death of the actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

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Rhea's bail petition in Sessions Court

According to the NCB, Rhea - who is charged under Sections 8(c), 20(b)(ii), 22, 27A, 28, and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985 - was confronted with co-accused Showik, Samuel Miranda and Dipesh Sawant. She allegedly revealed her involvement in the procurement of drugs and financial transactions. 

However, in the bail plea filed in the Sessions Court, it was argued that Rhea is innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case. Her counsels contended that the offence was bailable citing that no drugs or psychotropic substances were seized. Claiming that Section 27A of the NDPS Act was applied without evidence, they disputed the charge that Rhea had financed the illicit traffic of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. Moreover, the advocates claimed that there is no allegation of their client procuring or financing any drug outside of the period during which she was in a relationship with Sushant Singh Rajput.

The petition alleged that she was interrogated on September 6, 7 and 8 in the absence of any female constable of officer, which it observed was in violation of a Supreme Court directive. Revealing that the accused apprehends a serious risk to her life in prison, Rhea's counsels has assured the court that she was willing to cooperate with the investigative agency. 

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NCB had arrested eight individuals in the case, namely,  Abbas Lakhani, Karan Arora, Abdel Basit Parihar, Samuel Miranda, Showik Chakraborty, Dipesh Sawant, Kaizan Ebrahim and Zaid Vilatra after registering a case under sections 20, 27 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).

Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai home on June 14. Mumbai Police had termed it a suicide case, but numerous lapses surfaced in the following weeks with his family ultimately filing an FIR against Sushant's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty and 4 others alleging abetment of suicide. The case is now being investigated by the CBI after the Supreme Court's nod. Sushant's family also alleged money laundering and that angle is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate. 

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