A Special court here on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of actress Rhea Chakraborty in the Sushant Singh Rajput-related drug case till October 6, even as the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) widened its scope of investigations and summoned Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash and talent management agency’s CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar for questioning in a WhatsApp chat involving “Padmavat” actress.
In a related development, the Bombay High Court will hear the bail pleas of Rhea – who had been arrested on September 8 in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput-related drug case – and her brother Showik –who had been arrested in the same case earlier, on Wednesday.
The special court – dealing with cases registered under the the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 – had earlier on September 11 rejected the bail pleas of Rhea, her brother Showik and four others in connection with a much-discussed drug case relating to Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.
On Tuesday when the NCB questioned Sushant’s talent manager Jaya Saha for the second consecutive day, the spotlight remained riveted on the summons issued to Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash and talent management agency’s CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar on the basis of the “Padmavat” actress’ whatsApp charts with her manager Karishma retrieved by the NCB.
Karishma works with Jaya Saha, with whom Rhea Chakraborty had chatted about CBD oil, as a manager in Kwan talent management agency. During the questioning, the NCB reportedly quizzed Jaya if she had any knowledge about Karishma procuring drugs for Deepika Padukone.
According to sources, the NCB investigations have thrown up a whatsApp chat of 2017 between D (Deepika Padukone) and K (Karishma). In the chat, Deepika reportedly asks Karishna: “you have Maal?, Karishma responds saying: “Yes, but at home. I am at Bandra. Later Krishma tells Deepika that one Amit is bringing it to a high-end restaurant “koko” at Lower Parel. Deepika seeks to confirm if it is hash not weed.
After being summoned for questioning, Karishna did not turn up at the NCB office for questioning, saying that she needed some more time, while her talent management agency’s CEO Dhruv Chitgopekar offered to co=operate with the agency in the investigations.
Despite the fact that the electronic media went to the town over Deepeika’s name figuring in the drug probe and claimed that she herself was being summoned for questioning, there was no official word from “Padmavat” actress who is reportedly away in Goa shooting for a film. Similarly, there was no official word from the NCB that Deepika was being summoned for questioning in the coming days.
On its part, the NCB has confirmed that it would question Bollywood actresses Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh Singh and fashion designer Simone Khambatta on the basis of Rhea’s statement recorded by the NCB. The three were among others who used to have drug parties at Sushant’s farm house at Lonavla near Pune. Rhea had reportedly told the investigators.
Meanwhile, soon after a section of the media said that her name had figured in the drug probe, yesteryear actress Diya Mirza came down with a vehement denial. “I would like to strongly refute and categorically deny this news as being false, baseless and with mala fide intentions. I have never procured or consumed any narcotic or contraband substances of any form in my life. I intend to pursue the full extent of legal remedies available to me as a law abiding citizen of India. Thanks to my supporters for standing by me,” Diya said.
Meanwhile, Rhea – whose bail plea is coming up for hearing before the Bombay High Court on Wednesday -- has contended that she was innocent and falsely implicated in the Sushant death-related drug case.
Rhea has been booked under Section 8(c) (produce, manufacture, possess, sell, purchase, transport, warehouse, use, consume, import); 20(b)(ii) (punishment for contravention in relation to the cannabis plant and cannabis where such contravention relates to small quantity, involves quantity lesser than commercial quantity but greater than small quantity, involves commercial quantity); 22 (punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances); 27A (punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders); 28 (punishment for attempts to commit offences); and 29 (punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy) of the NDPS act.
A HC bench of Justice Sarang V Kotwal will hear the bail pleas of Rhea and Showik filed through their senior counsel Satish Maneshinde and advocate Anandini Fernandes, on Wednesday.
In one of the several grounds that he had cited for grant of bail to his client Rhea, Maneshinde had stated in the bail application filed before the court: “The application has been arraigned for an offence punishable under section 8 (c) read with 20 (b) (ii) 22, 27 A, 28, 29 and 30 of the NDPS Act, 1985. Given that no drug and psychotropic substances have been seized from the applicant and the allegations. If any, would pertain strictly to small quantities, and given that though section 27 A has been applied, the ingredients have thereof not been made out, the bar under section 37 (1) of the NDPS would not apply in the present circumstances. Thus the offence, if any, is bailable in nature the Applicant ought to be enlarged on bail”.
The other ground that Maneshinde cited for the release of Rhea and Showik on bail is the “ground of parity” since three other accused arrested in connection with the same have been released on bail. He also told the court that the section 27 (A) of NDPS Act, 1985 pertaining to financing illicit traffic of drugs had been applied only in the case of Rhea and Showik although “no seizures have been made from the two”.
However, the Mumbai Sessions court did not accept the grounds cited by Maneshinde for granting bail to Rhea.
Rhea and Showik are among the ten accused arrested in connection with the drug case related to Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. The other arrested accused are: Abbas Lakhani, Karan Arora, Zaid Vilatra, Abdel Basit Parihar, Anuj Keswani, Kaizan Ibrahim, Samuel Miranda and Dipesh Sawant.
