Rhea Chakraborty ‘Harboured’ Drugs for Sushant Singh: NCB

The bail pleas of actor Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik will be heard by the Bombay High Court on Tuesday. The two, along with a few members of actor Sushant Singh Rajput 's staff, have been in jail for more than three weeks on drug-related charges connected to an investigation of the death of the actor. On September 9, Rhea was arrested, reports Hindustan Times.

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.

The court rejected the bail plea of Rhea, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and others earlier on September 11, noting that if she is released on bail she might warn other defendants and they may destroy the evidence in the matter.

The NCB confiscated the cell phones of actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and others on 27 September.

On September 26, NCB reported Karishma Prakash, Sara Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Shraddha Kapoor's statements.

"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.

After receiving official communication from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which was investigating the money trail linked to the death case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the NCB initiated an investigation into the drug case. Many disclosures emerged in the inquiry, including numerous chats linked to drug intake, acquisition, use and transport.

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