Mumbai: A special court on Friday rejected the bail pleas of actress Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik arrested by the NCB in connection with the drugs-related case pertaining to the death of filmstar Sushant Singh Rajput.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday strongly opposed the bail pleas and said although the quantity of banned drugs seized in the case was small, it was still of commercial quantity and worth Rs 1,85,200.
Special Judge G B Gurao, presiding over cases under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), also heard pleas filed by four other arrested accused in the case.
Special public prosecutor Atul Sarpande said the NCB opposed the pleas of all the accused persons.
Rhea Chakraborty and Showik Chakraborty financed and arranged drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput and at his instructions, the NCB said in its affidavit filed in response to their bail pleas.
It added that as per a statement given by co-accused Dipesh Sawant, he used to procure drugs from other accused in the case on the instruction of Rajput and his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty.
The financial transactions were handled by Rhea and sometimes Rajput. Dipesh Sawant used to procure drugs along with co-accused Samuel Miranda (former house manager of late actor) for Sushant Singh Rajputs consumption, the affidavit said.
The NCB said when summoned for questioning, Rhea Chakraborty (28) gave a statement "accepting" her role in procuring drugs.
Rhea Chakraborty in her bail plea has, however, said she was "coerced" into making incriminating confessions.
In her plea filed through advocate Satish Maneshinde, Rhea Chakraborty said, During the three-day period when she appeared before the NCB, the applicant (Rhea) was coerced into making incriminating confessions.
The plea said the applicant was formally retracting all such incriminating statements being relied upon by the NCB.
The prosecution, however, claimed that Rhea Chakraborty has revealed her involvement in procuring drugs and financial transactions thereof.
It is clear from all the accused persons statements that Rhea Chakraborty and Showik Chakraborty are active members of a drug syndicate, the affidavit said.
The NCB further said that if the accused are released on bail they may tamper with evidence and try to intimidate key witnesses in the case.
All the accused persons are presently in jail under judicial custody.
The NCB began its investigation after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which was probing money laundering charges, shared social media chats retrieved from Rhea Chakrabortys mobile phone hinting at use of banned drugs.
Rajput was found hanging in his residence in suburban Bandra on June 14.
The CBI is separately probing a case against Rhea Chakraborty and others for allegedly abetting the 34-year-old actor's suicide.
