The Narcotics Control Bureau on 5th March invoked the stringent charge of “illicit trafficking and harbouring of offenders” against Rhea Chakraborty and 32 others in its chargesheet submitted in the drugs case related to Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide. The charge, under section 27A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, attracts a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in jail.
The NCB has alleged that since, in November 2019, delivery of drugs was made at Rhea’s residence with her consent, she had facilitated her house to Rajput, her boyfriend, for consumption of drugs. The NCB has also said that since she provided funds for purchase of drugs, she had financed an activity related to illicit drug dealings. The agency has accused her and her brother, Showik, of being active members of the drug syndicate connected with drug supplies. The NCB has said, as per available evidence, it was clear that Rhea had conspired to procure, possess, sell, transport, import interstate, export interstate drugs.
It may be mentioned here that the Bombay high court, while granting Rhea bail on October 7, 2020, had found that there was no evidence to suggest that she financed the drug trade, which was key to the charge. The HC had noted: “Helping procure drugs for Sushant is not the same as harbouring and financing drugs.”