Court order on bail pleas of Rhea Chakraborty, brother likely today

[Prem Kumar]

Court order on bail pleas of Rhea Chakraborty, brother likely today

Special judge GB Gurao heard the submissions made by the lawyer of the Chakrabortys and the special public prosecutor. The bail applications of four other accused were also heard. The court then adjourned the matter till Friday.

A special court constituted to try cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is expected to pronounce its order on bail pleas filed by actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and three others on Friday.

Special judge GB Gurao heard the submissions made by the lawyer of the Chakrabortys and the special public prosecutor. The bail applications of four other accused were also heard. The court then adjourned the matter till Friday.

After being questioned for three consecutive days, Chakraborty was arrested by NCB on Tuesday in connection with the agency's probe into a drug angle in the death of her boyfriend and actor, Sushant Singh Rajput. A magistrate's court remanded Chakraborty to 14-day judicial custody.

Apart from Chakraborty and Showik, NCB has arrested Rajput's house manager, Samuel Miranda, and a member of his personal staff, Dipesh Sawant. The agency has also arrested Bandra residents Zaid Vilatra and Abdel Basit Parihar for alleged drug peddling.

Rajput, 34, was found dead at his Bandra flat on June 14.

On Thursday, Atul Sarpande, the special public prosecutor appearing for NCB, opposed the bail plea of all accused on the ground that the probe was at a crucial stage and releasing the accused on bail may hamper the investigation.

Chakraborty and Showik financed and arranged drugs for Rajput and at his instructions, NCB said in its affidavit filed in response to their bail pleas.

Sawant used to procure drugs along with co-accused Miranda for Rajput's consumption, the affidavit said.

In her plea, Chakraborty said she was innocent and falsely implicated in the case. The 28-year-old actor said she was coerced into making "self-incriminatory" confessions by NCB and that she was withdrawing them.

Among other offences, she has been charged under Section 27A of the NDPS Act, which pertains to punishment for financing illicit traffic. The section carries minimum rigorous imprisonment of 10 years, which may be extended to 20 years.

Chakraborty's plea said "the allegations against the present accused would at the most make out a case of purchasing small quantity of drug, which is in essence a bailable offence. There is not a shred of evidence to connect the applicant with financing any illicit traffic or harbouring any offender and hence the ingredients of Section 27A of the NDPS Act are not made out in present facts and circumstances".

Sources by : Hindustan Times