NCB to summon 25 Bollywood A-listers in drugs case: Reports
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is currently probing a drugs case related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, will likely summon 25 Bollywood celebrities who have been named by the accused, according to reports. These names include high-profile actors, directors, casting directors, among others. Meanwhile, a Mumbai court today denied bail to Rhea Chakraborty and others, who were arrested in the said case.
NCB also held a meeting in Delhi in this regard
According to a report in The Times of India, the people who have been named are involved in the procurement, consumption and dealing of banned drugs. In fact, a meeting headed by KPS Malhotra and DG Rakesh Asthana of the NCB, was also recently held in Delhi, to decide how the investigation should move forward.
Earlier today, court denied bail to Rhea and others
On a related note, a special court in Mumbai denied bail to actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty, and four other accused in this case. Rhea (28) was arrested on Tuesday, while Showik (24) was arrested last week. All the six accused, including two staff members of Sushant and two alleged drug peddlers, will now remain in the judicial custody until September 22.
Rhea and others booked under NDPS Act, 1985
Rhea and others have been booked under the Sections 8(c), 20(b)(ii), 22, 27A, 28, and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. It has been reported that the anti-drug agency has found that Rhea, Showik and the two staffers of the late actor had been procuring and paying for banned drugs, and were in touch with some drug dealers.
Rhea had filed a bail plea on Wednesday
After her earlier bail plea was rejected by a local court on Tuesday, Rhea filed another plea in Sessions Court the next day. In the plea, Rhea has claimed that she is innocent and has been "falsely implicated" in the case. She also said she was forced into making self-incriminatory statements during the custody, adding that the offenses, if any, are bailable.
Rhea might soon approach the Bombay High Court
After the court order today, Rhea's lawyer Satish Maneshinde said they might soon approach the High Court. "Once we get a copy of the NDPS special court order, we will decide next week on the course of action about approaching the High Court," he said.
Meanwhile, the industry's opinion remains divided
Many Bollywood celebrities have lately come out in Rhea's support. Filmmakers and actors such as Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu, Swara Bhasker, and Farhan Akhtar have opined that the 28-year-old actor is a victim of ingrained issues of patriarchy and misogyny. On the other hand, actors like Ankita Lokhande and Kangana Ranaut have lauded Rhea's arrest in the case.
Sushant had died in June. CBI and ED also investigating
Sushant, a 34-year-old rising star of Hindi cinema, was found dead at his home in Mumbai's Bandra area on June 14. The Mumbai Police had said it was suicide and revealed that the actor had been suffering from depression and bipolar disorder. Apart from the NCB, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are also probing the matter.
