Published 12:13 IST, September 6th 2020
Rhea Chakraborty at NCB; agency 'has evidence of drug supply to high-profile individuals'
A five-member team of NCB will question Rhea, with the agency's Deputy Director himself likely to be present at the time of questioning along with the team
All persons that are under its custody will now face cross-examination, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) sources confirmed on Sunday, even as Rhea Chakraborty made her way to the agency for questioning. The NCB has so far 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.
According to sources, the agency is waiting to get the remand of Dipesh Sawant on Sunday, shortly after which further course of action will be decided. The NCB had arrested Sushant Singh Rajput’s staff Dipesh Sawant late Saturday after his statements allegedly contradicted the statements of others in the NCB custody. Rhea Chakraborty has reached the NCB after her own summons.
A five-member team of NCB will question Rhea, with the agency's Deputy Director himself likely to be present at the time of questioning along with the team.
NCB will take a statement from Rhea on all those angles and points where they feel that Dipesh Showik and Samuel Miranda's statements don't match. A list of 28 drug peddlers has been found in the data search of those arrested, and the line of questioning is likely to be on the supply of banned drugs further from Rhea to others.
As per sources the agency has evidence that drugs were being supplied to several high profile individuals and the agency is trying to pinpoint this drug distribution, sources said.
Rhea Chakraborty summoned
On Sunday, the NCB summoned Rhea Chakraborty in its drug cartel probe. The NCB team along Mumbai Police personnel arrived at Rhea's residence to serve the summons to accused number one in the Sushant's death case. Joint Director of NCB Sameer Wankhede said that Rhea's presence in the probe on Sunday is a must and there will be no exceptions. The time given to Rhea to appear before the NCB was 11 AM though she arrived one hour late.
NCB's probe in Sushant's case
NCB had registered case under sections 20, 27 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), to probe into the drug angle of the Sushant Singh Rajput case after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) handed over relevant documents regarding the same.
Rhea Chakraborty's brother Showik and Sushant's house manager Samuel Miranda have been sent to 4-day custody. A Mumbai court has given the custody of both to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) till September 9. Alleged drug peddler Kaizan was also sent to 14 days of judicial custody, but was granted bail on a surety of Rs 10,000.
Showik Chakraborty has allegedly confessed that he had procured drugs on the instructions of his sister Rhea Chakraborty. Moreover, Showik claimed that Rhea had allegedly asked him and Samuel Miranda to procure drugs adding that he was in contact with several other drug peddlers, as per NCB sources.
Updated 12:13 IST, September 6th 2020