Mumbai: Even as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has asserted that it has ‘jurisdiction’ to probe the Sushant Singh Rajput’s death-related cases, the Bombay High Court is set to hear bail applications of two of the prime accused — actress Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik — later in the day, officials said.
Opposing their bail pleas, the NCB said that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation would take over the Sushant probe, if any new cases are registered on the late actor’s death and the surrounding circumstances of his unnatural death, but it (the directions) did not pertain to the present (drugs) cases registered under the NDPS Act, 1985.
The NCB reiterated its earlier stance that Rhea was “an active member of the drug syndicate connected with high society personalities and drug suppliers”, besides her involvement in procuring and financing the drugs, which was revealed in her statement recorded by the NCB.
“The present applicant (Rhea) is prominent member of supply chain of drugs and majorly she is handling finance also and used to manage, finance for drug procurement along with Sushant Singh Rajput,” the NCB said in its affidavit opposing Rhea’s bail application.
Rhea and Showik are among 20 who have been arrested by the NCB in the past few weeks in the probe surrounding the drugs angle linked with Sushant’s death case. Both siblings are currently in judicial custody till October 6.
In her bail plea filed through lawyer Satish Maneshinde, Rhea has argued that that the NCB had no jurisdiction to probe this case since the matter was transferred to the CBI as per the SC verdict.
Entering the probe after a request by Enforcement Directorate (ED), the NCB had arrested Rhea, 28, on September 9 on charges of procuring and financing the drugs for Sushant on his instructions, and the probe trail has led to a total of 20 arrests so far.
