Rhea Chakraborty grateful as NCB decides not to challenge her bail in SSR drugs case

In a significant development in the high-profile drugs case linked to the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has decided not to challenge Rhea Chakraborty's bail.

Rhea, who was the late actor's girlfriend, had been under investigation by the NCB for her alleged involvement in drug-related activities following Rajput's tragic demise on June 14, 2020. The Additional Solicitor General S V Raju informed a bench of Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh at the Supreme Court about the NCB's decision not to contest Rhea's bail. However, the NCB sought to keep the question of law open with respect to Section 27-A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, under which Rhea had been charged.

Reacting to the news of the NCB's stance, Rhea Chakraborty took to her Instagram stories, where she posted a video of herself smiling and winking at the camera, accompanied by the caption, 'Gratitude'. The Bombay High Court had previously granted bail to Rhea Chakraborty, dismissing the NCB's contention that she had financed and harbored illegal drug trafficking. The court ruled that merely paying for a drug transaction does not qualify as financing drug traffic, and the charges of harboring an offender did not apply in this case.

The NCB had charged Rhea under Section 27-A of the NDPS Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and bars the grant of bail. However, the high court clarified that since there was no evidence of financing or harboring drugs or its consumers, this particular section could not be applied to her.

The court observed that Rhea had no criminal history and was unlikely to tamper with evidence or interfere with the ongoing investigation while out on bail. Additionally, the court found no reason to apply the charge of harboring an offender as Sushant Singh Rajput himself had no fear of arrest.

The case had garnered immense media attention and public interest since Sushant Singh Rajput's death, and Rhea Chakraborty's involvement had been a subject of intense scrutiny. The investigation into alleged drug use in the film and television industry further added to the complexity of the case.

It's important to note that the Supreme Court clarified that the high court's judgment shall not be considered a precedent in any other case.