Rhea Chakraborty ‘harboured’ drugs for Sushant Singh: NCB

The Bombay High Court will hear the bail pleas of actor Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik on Tuesday. The two, along with a few members of the staff of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, have been in jail for over 3 weeks on drugs related charges linked to a probe into the actor's death. Rhea was arrested on September 9.

On Monday, the Narcotics Control Bureau filed their affidavit in the court, opposing Rhea's bail plea. The statement reiterated that Rhea was 'an active member of the drug syndicate connected with high society personalities and drug suppliers'. The statement said, "The present applicant is prominent member of supply chain of drugs and majorly she is handling finance also. The present applicant used to manage, finance for drug procurement along with Sushant Singh Rajput."

The NCB also said that despite knowing that Sushant consumed drugs, Rhea 'harboured' and 'concealed' him, "It is further submitted that if overall scenario is seen, then the present applicant (Rhea) being aware of the fact that Sushant Singh Rajput being someone who is engaged in consumption has harboured him and concealed him whilst he was engaged in consuming the drugs. This would amount to harbouring. The present applicant also allowed her residence for drug storage and consumption for Sushant Singh Rajput."

NCB called it "a more serious offence" than consumption of drugs. "Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, this is the most serious crime," Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede said in the written submission.

Earlier on September 11, the court had rejected the bail plea of Rhea, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and others observing that if she is released on bail she may alert other accused and they may destroy the evidence in the matter.

On September 27, NCB seized mobile phones of actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and others.

NCB recorded the statements of Karishma Prakash, Sara Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Shraddha Kapoor on September 26.

"The statements of Karishma Prakash, Sara Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Shraddha Kapoor have been recorded. Kshitij Prasad has been placed under arrested after questioning. No fresh summon has been issued today. We have arrested more than 18 people," Mutha Ashok Jain, Deputy DG, South-Western Region of NCB said on Saturday.

The NCB had launched an investigation into the drugs case after it received official communication from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which was investigating the money trail related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case. In the investigation, many revelations surfaced including various chats related to drug consumption, procurement, usage and transportation.

The ED had on July 31 registered an Enforcement Case Information Report in the late actor's death case after an FIR was filed by Rajput's father KK Singh against Rhea Chakraborty in Bihar on July 28. Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14.